The now-famous words LeBron James used when asked how it feels to finally be the champion. Words commonly used when someone isn’t so much excited about winning or achieving something extraordinary, but when the pressure is finally off your shoulders and the overwhelming feeling of relief washes over.

The only moment I can compare LeBron’s words to is the moment when the game was no longer in doubt in 1994 when the San Francisco 49ers were well on the way to crushing the San Diego Chargers, and teammates jokingly ripped the proverbial monkey off of Steve Young’s back. But, even then, Young seemed overly jovial and excited. LeBron, in contrast, was relieved.

All of last year, after “The Decision” and the backlash it generated, James seemed confused and baffled that people hated him. He went from generally loved and adored by an entire country to despised in the matter of a half-hour ESPN special. In the 24-hour news cycle and the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately environment we live in, it doesn’t take long to become hated. LeBron found out the hard way, and he didn’t know how to react.

Look, he had to go through the School of Hard Knocks. Even when James wasn’t winning and seizing the big moments on the court, he was still filling up the stat sheet like few before him. However, he needed the adversity in order to truly become great.

Its corny and cliche, but everything happens for a reason, and sports are no different. Does James eventually win a ring if he didn’t go through the 2010-11 hate cycle and fail in the Finals to the Dallas Mavericks? Maybe, maybe not.

Has LeBron avenged himself? That’s up for him to decide. Will the country like him any more today than they did yesterday? Not until he brings home another gold medal in London.

Does it all matter to LeBron? Not anymore. And that’s why the world should be fearful of what he can accomplish. He isn’t doing it for us anymore.

He’s doing it in spite of us.

Jun 21, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) celebrates winning the 2012 NBA championship at the American Airlines Arena. Miami won 121-106. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-US PRESSWIRE

The Oklahoma City Thunder and the rest of the NBA had no answer for LBJ during this entire postseason, and the excellence that NBA fans saw from King James was something we haven’t seen since the days when Michael Jordan was busy three-peating in Chicago.

The likes of Dirk Nowitzki, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant have put together dominant Finals performances since 1998 when Jordan won the last of his six championships, but no one since then has put together the dominant playoff run that LeBron just did to capture his first title.

Just look at what LBJ accomplished the entire postseason.

He not only got to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy for the first time but did so by averaging 30.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.9 steals, all while shooting 50 percent from the floor.

In addition, he closed out the Thunder with a 26 point, 13 assist, 11 rebound triple-double.

Dominance is the appropriate word, and we haven’t seen that type of play since Jordan.

MJ averaged over 30.7 points per game in 12 of his 13 postseason appearances. The game was much different then, but during his title years he was unstoppable.

You knew Jordan would get the ball and there was nothing you could do about it. That’s the quality James had this year.

Kobe had a couple of nice playoff runs in 2001, when he averaged 29.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists, and in 2009, when he averaged 30.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists resulting a pair of championships.

But even with the heroics of Bryant, the run LeBron just had was better, considering the pressure he was under.

James has a long way to go before he equals the likes of MJ, or even Kobe, when it comes to postseason success, but for one small stretch for the Miami Heat, what LeBron just accomplished was something that was definitely reminiscent of the days of Jordan.

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Mike Woodson is nearing a deal to make him the Knicks full-time head coach.

According to Ian Begley over at ESPN New York, the Knicks are moving closer and closer to removing the interim tag from Mike Woodson’s title and making him the full time coach.

Woodson was wildly popular when he replaced Mike D’Antoni, winning over stars Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire with his coaching style. He guided the Knicks to an 18-6 record to finish off the regular season, boosting the team to the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference before falling 4 games to 1 against the Miami Heat in the playoffs.

There is no Knick fan in this realm that is at all unhappy with the team bringing back Woodson. I’ve written about this before, and its worth mentioning briefly again to keep fans grounded.

My original point on Woodson was how much of his success is directly linked to his coaching and how much of the team’s success was due to anyone coaching this team not named Mike D’Antoni?

It is clear that the defense played with a different level of vigor under Woodson, and the offensive had more rhythm and flow once the Seven Seconds Or Less offense was eliminated. But, again, I don’t think anyone can judge how much was Woodson and how much was the removal of D’Antoni. I referred to it as the “Jerry Manuel Theory”, hearkening back to when Manuel replaced Willie Randolph mid-season for the New York Mets and brought the team within a win of the playoffs, then failing as a manager the next two seasons.

With all that said, do I think there was a better option for this team on the coaching market? Outside of Phil Jackson, who I believe is retired for good, no. Stan Van Gundy wouldn’t have made sense because, while he is a great coach, his personality is too big for a James Dolan organization. Jeff Van Gundy and Dolan clashed often, and Stan Van has more diva qualities than his brother. It would’ve been a recipe for disaster, but definitely entertaining.

The Knicks couldn’t have done better than Mike Woodson, but nobody should be going out and crowning the Knicks as champions. They have the talent to be a Top-5 Eastern Conference team. It seems that they now have stability at the head coaching position and someone in place their players enjoy playing for, which boosts team chemistry.

However, the danger is that Mike Woodson will now be working with expectations for the first time. Knicks fans would’ve taken anything he had to offer at the end of last season and in the playoffs. Now, we know what we saw and we know what we want.

That, more than anything else, is the most dangerous label Woodson will now have next to his name.

April 20, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA: Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving (2) brings the ball up court during the game against the New York Knicks at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric P. Mull-USPRESSWIRE

Even though we can attribute not going far in the playoffs to all these reasons, I still think we shoulve made a bigger improvement than winning one more playoff game in a series than the previous year because if we go at that rate, it won’t be another three years until we even make it out of the first round.

I truly think that this years downfall was not due to these reasons -I think Iman Shumpert could have definitely helped the Knicks lock up one of the two superstars (LeBron James and Dwyane Wade) and I think Baron Davis could have helped  a lot in Game 5 since we lacked a point guard and I think Jeremy Lin could have controlled the point a lot better, but do you actually think that we could have beaten the Miami Heat in a 7 game series?  Enough making excuses!!!

I think the major reason the Knicks lost was plain and simple. They had the wrong playoff matchup.

New York had way too many costly losses during the season to teams 20 games under 500 – eight losses to be specific fit under this category.

The Knicks started the season off 2-4, with three of those losses coming to Charlotte (worst winning percentage in NBA history), Toronto (a team that has losy any hope of being a playoff team since becoming Bosh-less) and Golden State (a team that has had no defense, since let me think about this – ever).  So already the Knicks are off to bad start.

Then, down the road in the season there are losses to Cleveland (21-45), New Orleans (21-45), New Jersey(22-44) and Toronto again (by a whopping 17 points).

This brings me to the end of the season which the Knicks finished strong under Mike Woodson (13-5)  but suffered two of their costliest losses of the season.

The first was against Indiana, one of the most disappointing losses I have seen, where they were up 15 points going into the fourth quarter and the Knicks got too cocky.  J.R. Smith was chucking up shots. Baron Davis was doing absolutely nothing, and the defense was transparent.

Then comes the most annoying loss of all year.  It comes down to last five games when I’m calculating how we can get that No.6 spot from the Orlando Magic and play Indiana instead of having to face the Chicago Bulls or the Heat in the first round.

All the Knicks needed to do was win their last five games, which was very manageable since we played the Nets, Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, the Chris Paul-less Los Angeles Clippers and the Bobcats.

At the same time, the Magic needed to lose four out of their five last games, which was also very likely to happen since they were without Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu and they were playing very tough teams down the stretch.

Everything worked out well as the Magic lost four out of the five.

But the whole plan was foiled by the Knicks losing one game – not to the to the Clippers or Hawks but to the Cavlaiers.

They decided to rest Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony for the fourth quarter and lost by eight.

I do not what was going through the mind of Woodson – did he know that this game actually mattered and could have been the deicing factor for which team the Knicks would play in the playoffs?

Instead of playing the Pacers in the first round, which they could have done if had they won, and instead of playing the Bulls, the Knicks drew the Heat, the one team you do not want to play in the first round.

When it comes to wins and losses, if the Knicks just win one out of these eight games to teams 20 games under .500, the Knicks would have had the No. 6 seed and played Indiana.  If we did lose all these games and not let Indiana come back from down 15 in the fourth quarter, making it one of the most embarrassing losses of the season, the Knicks also would have drawn the Pacers.

But I guess that basketball and it just goes to show that every game during the season matters.

Chandler wants to re-define his offensive game next year.

Earlier this week, New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler met with members of the media and talked about his off-season goals heading into next season. According to a report on ESPN New York, one of those goals is to condition himself to become more of a “threat” on the offensive end of the floor.

Off the bat, the knee-jerk reaction to that comment was that Chandler was demanding for more attention and looks from the inside. However, that isn’t what Chandler is saying at all. Instead, what Chandler is saying is when he touches the ball this season, he wants to be more versatile in the rhythm of the offense.

The key quote pulled from Jared Zwerling’s article was:

“I want to come back in better condition and I want to be more of a force on the block,” [Chandler] said. “I want to be able to pass better out of pick-and-rolls. I just want to become more of a threat. Myself and Amare, we really have to become a threat on the block. I mean, we have the pieces here and we have to get better. … I’ve got to come back a better player next year.”

To me, that right there is the crux of what Tyson wants. He isn’t suggesting that he wants to be able to take 10-15 shots a game or become the focal point of the offense down low. Instead, what he’s saying is he wants to expand his game and be better conditioned to fit the current Knicks offensive scheme.

Chandler did a fantastic job last season both on offense and defense, winning the Defensive Player of the Year and shooting an astronomical 67.9% from the field. I think it would be foolish for anyone to expect Chandler to replicate that type of effectiveness from the field, but should he expand his game where he needs to be watched at all times on the block would be huge for the Knicks moving forward. Anyone that can take eyes off of Carmelo Anthony and allow him more freedom to move around the court is huge.

Again, nobody should take these comments as Tyson Chandler demanding enough attention on offense where he will average 20 points and 15 rebounds. Instead, this is Chandler saying all the right things, once again, and vowing to better condition himself for a regular 81-game season and become more polished on the block.

Will it actually work out that way? Only time will tell. But, this is a great example of a Knicks star saying all the right things heading into a choatic and confusing off-season.

Injuries have already devastated not just Team USA, but their chief rival, Team Spain. USA has already lost presumed starting center Dwight Howard, presumed starting point guard Derrick Rose, veteran leadership from Chauncey Billups and maybe Kevin Love, who is still dealing with issues surrounding a concussion.

As far as Knicks who will appear on Team USA, there are only two options, and both appear to be locks. The first and most obvious choice becomes Tyson Chandler. Chandler played very well for the 2010 World Championship team alongside the likes of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Rose and Love.

With Howard out, Chandler becomes the starting center on this team without much competition. He’s also the most obvious candidate to clog the middle because he isn’t going to command any offensive possessions away from any of the likely starters (as of today, the starting line-up is likely to be Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant at guard, Kevin Durant and LeBron James at forward and Chandler). So much of the offense is going to flow through the other four that whoever plays center only needs to be on the court to make it hard for the opponents to score. And with the likelihood of going up against the Gasol brothers and Serge Ibaka for Team Spain (I still have no idea how Ibaka is Spanish…), Chandler’s presence on the team is even more important.

Actually, the most fascinating story line surrounding Team USA is who backs up Chandler? Howard is out, and Chandler was scheduled to be his primary back-up and likely the only other true center on the team. Now, the team is down to just Chandler. I like the team when they run a small second unit with Kevin Love at the 5, but that becomes hard to imagine when its your only option. The one name you need to watch: Anthony Davis. That’s right! We’re calling in The Brow! He’s a logical second unit, defensive stopper to play behind Tyson. Think about it. You want to see it. Just wait…

Joining Chandler on Team USA will be Carmelo Anthony. 2008 seems like a long time ago, and many people forget that on that gold medal team, ‘Melo was the team MVP. He played out of his mind on that squad and really re-established himself as a NBA superstar with his performance. This time around, however, he’s been lapped by both Durant and LeBron in the starting line-up, but he will be the focal point of the second unit.

He’s also added a new wrinkle to Coach K’s potential game-plan. We’ve seen how effective Carmelo plays out of the four position, being much too athletic for traditional power forwards in the low blocks, so I can certainly see a second-unit line-up looking something like Deron Williams and Dwayne Wade at the guards, either James Harden or Andre Iguodala at the 3, Anthony at the 4 and Kevin Love/Anthony Davis at the 5. That’s a very good second unit. And its a second unit that will allow Anthony to be the focus of the offensive attack, which, again, is ‘Melo’s desire.

As for the rest of the Knicks, there is nobody that will sniff the national team. Amar’e Stoudemire wasn’t allowed to play on the ’08 team because of his knees and the risk of injury, which clearly hasn’t gone away, so he will never see international action. Iman Shumpert could be a piece for Team USA further down the road, specifically the 2014 World Championships squad as a defensive stopper and force off the bench (think Iguodala). Jeremy Lin has a lot more to do to crack the upper echelon of American point guards, so to even consider him as an international team option moving forward is way premature.

There are always two international events that get me up in the morning. The soccer World Cup and Olympic Basketball. With the team Coach K will have at his disposal, I’m extremely excited to see just how high this team can rise.

And, for Knicks fans, we have reasons to root. Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony will play major roles. Its nice to have relevant players again, isn’t it?

To sum up Berger’s column, sources close to Jackson have indicated he indeed has “the itch” to coach again.

Berger also notes that Jackson’s longtime girlfriend Jeanie Buss said in an L.A. radio interview Friday, “He’s got his energy back.”

May 8, 2011; Dallas, TX, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson argues a call in the third quarter of game four against the Dallas Mavericks for the second round of the 2011 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. The Mavs beat the Lakers 122-86. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

To date, no teams have called or given any indication that Jackson is even on their radar. But his 10 championship rings say that teams should be calling and doing so very soon.

Which begs the question of why wouldn’t James Dolan bother to pick up the phone. Doesn’t he at least owe the fan base and the current Knicks’ players at least that much. why not hire the best coach possible?

One reason he hasn’t picked up the phone is because he’s James Dolan and there’s really no other explanation needed.

The other reason, as Berger points out is that Dolan is more interested in putting on a show than winning a championship.

I’m a fan of Mike Woodson’s, but has he done anything to convince the Knicks that he’s a championship caliber head coach? After being severely out-coached by Miami’s Erik Spoelstra in the playoffs, that answer right now is no.

Could Woodson lead the Knicks to a title? Sure, but there’s no guarantee.

Jackson is a proven winner, not to mention the fact that Carmelo Anthony would be a beast playing on the block in the Triangle Offense? Given the fact that the Knicks haven’t won a title since 1973, you would think Dolan would consider all options.

Even if Jackson is a short-term fix for 2-3 years, wouldn’t it be worth it to potentially win a championship? I know that hiring Jackson doesn’t guarantee a ring, but given the circumstances I would rather go with the proven winner and take my chances.

That alone makes you wonder what the goal for this team really is?

The difference between Jackson and Woodson is Jackson is perceived as old and greedy and Woodson is a guy that when the Knicks front-office says jump, he says “How High?”

Much will be made of Jackson’s salary demands, but that’s really no issue at all as Berger points out, considering the franchise has the highest ticket prices in the NBA.

In September 2010, the Knicks signed a 10-year, $300 million marketing and sponsorship deal with JP Morgan Chase. Annually, that’s more money than each of the 30 NBA teams reaps from the NBA’s national broadcast rights agreements with ABC/ESPN and Turner. Revenue sharing, shmevenue sharing. The revenues from a couple of concert dates with CAA client Bruce Springsteen would just about cover Jackson’s salary, if only the Knicks would call

That’s really all it should take on behalf of Dolan. Just a phone call.

If the goal in New York is to really win a championship, it makes sense to explore all options and hire the best coach you can. I’m not saying it necessarily should be Jackson, but I am saying they are doing themselves a disservice by not exploring all potential options.

But then again, nothing about Dolan has really ever made sense.

With the 2012 NBA Playoffs still going on though, I figured now would be a good time to actually look at the Knicks upcoming salary cap situation and how it will affect any potential moves general manager Glen Grunwald will attempt to make.

Mar 21, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin (17) during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. The Knicks defeated the Sixers 82-79. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

Generally I’m pretty good deciphering the salary cap, so here’s my best attempt to explain the situation the Knicks are in as of today.

Right now the Knicks are currently $5.6 million under the league-mandated $58.044 million salary cap, however on July 1, if the cap stays the same they will be $5.65 million over. That’s due to the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire and others making more money next season than they did this year.

Players under contract for next season include:  Anthony, Stoudemire, Chandler, Iman Shumpert and Toney Douglas.

In addition, J.R. Smith has a player option of $2.443 million, Josh Harrellson has a team option of $762,195, Jerome Jordan has a non-guaranteed salary of $762,195 and while Renaldo Balkman cleared waivers this past season, he’s still owed some salary that counts against the cap.

When it comes to free agency, the franchise’s restricted free agents are Jeremy Lin and Landry Fields, and the unrestricted pool includes: Steve Novak, Baron Davis, Jared Jeffries, Mike Bibby, Bill Walker and Dan Gadzuric.

Ideally, here’s what Grunwald is dealing with internally, before he ever even thinks about the draft or signing free agents from other teams. He must deal with Smith’s opt in or out, potentially re-signing Fields, using their mid-level exception of about $3 million (taxpayer) or of about $5 million (non-taxpayer), potentially using their bi-annual exception of $1.98 million and then spending a couple of veteran’s minimums of $1.4 million each.

Grunwald’s biggest decision though will be how much of the MLE to give to Lin.

With that being said, here’s a look at how the situation could play out for each free agent.

J.R. Smith

The Knicks will know by July 1 if Smith will opt-out of his deal.  Even though Smith’s father is making a case for him to stay in the Big Apple, money will play a big part in the deal and I don’t expect him back next season.

The kicker is that money doesn’t come off the cap so the Knicks will still be a little over $3million over.

However he can opt-out and re-sign with New York for a 20 percent raise, which with the Non-Bird Exception, would put him at $3.097 million for the 2012-13 season.

Jeremy Lin

In the new CBA, there’s a provision called the Gilbert Arenas Provision which limits the amount of money teams can offer a player like Lin for the first year of his deal. basically, the Arenas Provision, which you can look at here in greater detail, a way to help teams to keep their young restricted free agents who aren’t coming off rookie scale contracts.

No team can offer Lin more than the full MLE for the first year of his contract and as a restricted free agent; the Knicks have the right to match. But because New York only has Lin’s first year Bird Rights, whatever Lin signs for will count against the cap after his MLE of next. Nothing is stopping the Knicks from matching any offer but there’s also nothing stopping any team from heavily back loading a contract, which will put the Knicks in real financial trouble if they match.

However the MLE is tricky now. There is a non-taxpayer MLE of $3 million or less or the taxpayer MLE of $5 million. The trick is that if a team spends more than $3 million of its mid-level exception, then the apron ($70-$74 million) becomes a hard cap for the remainder of the season. It becomes very hard to put a winner on the floor when dealing with a hard cap.

So it would be ideal for Lin to sign for $3 million or less, but that’s doubtful, especially since other teams will offer more simply based on what he can do for attendance.

Also keep in mind that if the Knicks let Lin walk and pursue a Steve Nash or Goran Dragic, the same rules apply for the MLE. If they spend more than $3 million of it then they are going to be faced with a hard cap, which ultimately means they won’t have any flexibility to make any offseason or in-season moves that would result in them being a penny above the $74 million threshold.

My gut feeling is that they will sign Lin based on his popularity and when they are financially crippled a couple seasons from now they will try and move one of their big contracts.

Landry Fields

The Knicks also have the Early Bird Rights on Fields and but he differs from Lin in one way- the Knicks drafted him.

Basically with Fields there will be a $5 million ceiling with him this year, but unlike Lin they won’t have to use the MLE to sign him. With Lin they have his Non-Bird Right’s so they will be forced to use the MLE.

This makes signing Lin for $3 million even more important to the Knicks.

The perfect situation would be to sign Fields for $5 mil and Lin for $3 mil. In that case they won’t be constrained by the hard cap (based on the lower mid-level exception). They can re-sign Fields, sign veteran free agents and make trades to bring in someone who’s more expensive. In other words, they can go above the apron.

But that begs the question of if Fields is worth the $5 mil investment?

However the Knicks can’t turn around and use that $5 mil for Nash, Dragic or anyone else due to the Early Bird Rights provision. So, again, only the MLE can be used for Lin, Nash or Dragic, which makes Grunwald’s decision very tough.

As for Fields, I think they bring him back as they can’t really use the money on anyone else.

BI-ANNUAL EXCEPTION

The Knicks can spend $1.98 mil on a player using this, which would be ideal for Novak, but after leading the league in three-point shooting he will likely be looking to cash in for more than that, leaving the Knicks without a weapon on the perimeter.

But again using the Bi-Annual comes down to how much they pay Lin. If it’s over that $3 mil number then they can’t go over $74 million so there’s a chance they may not be able to use it. Also this is a last resort thing as if they use their Bi-Annual first then they are automatically hard capped. That’s really the only part of the CBA I don’t understand, but that’s the way it is.

Again, how much they pay Lin will determine what type of offseason (if any) that the Knicks have.

Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com predicted how things will play out for the Knicks and it doesn’t sound promising.

Currently, the Knicks are about $6 million above the salary cap, which means they’re about $9 million under the apron. If Smith opts out and the Knicks don’t re-sign him, they’ll be about $11.5 million under the apron. If they re-sign Lin for about $5 million, they’ll be about $7.5 million under the apron, which would then create the hard cap.

Then, if Fields re-signs for about $5 million as well, the team will only have about $3 million under the apron to spend on three players. Think about that. About $3 million, three players. Veteran minimum’s deals could suck that right up.

That mid-level exception is more critical than you ever thought. From the season to the offseason, Lin still remains right at the top of the Knicks’ discussion. If you’re a fan of the team, you should be rooting for him to sign for $3 million or less.

The only thing I can add onto to that thought is that it’s a good thing Isaiah Thomas isn’t still around.

Time to hand out some grades for the '11-12 Knicks

We’ve had some time to settle down from the Miami series and look back on the season that was. For better or for worse, 2011-12 was an entertaining season for the New York Knicks. The number of identities this team took on feel like something out of Nyjer Morgan’s imagination.

What we’re going to try and do is grade what each player brought to the team this season in regards to the expectations surrounding that player entering the year. For example, since the expectations for a Mike Bibby are completely different for a Carmelo Anthony, if Bibby gets a higher grade than ‘Melo, I’m not saying Bibby was/is a better player. All I would be saying is that Mike Bibby was expected to be a spare part, while Carmelo was the face of the team that under-performed at some points.

OK. Let’s get into this.

Head of the Class - 

Tyson Chandler – A+

- There is no question that from the start of the season to the end, Chandler was the most consistent and balanced Knick on the court. He brought defense to a team that has been dearth of effort on that end of the court since Mike D’Antoni took over, as evident by his Defensive Player of the Year trophy. Plus, the combination of Chandler and Mike Woodson did the impossible: they made Carmelo Anthony hustle. Not to mention, Chandler had an insane field goal possession.

“A” Students - 

Iman Shumpert  - A

Very few Knicks fans actually liked the selection of Shumpert in last year’s first round, and I include myself in that field. However, he certainly out-performed any expectations that were placed on him, and he’s shown that he has the potential to become an elite talent in this league. He broke the starting line-up in his rookie season, and will be, at the worst, a Tony Allen-type player in his career. That’s not a bad floor to have.

Jeremy Lin – A-

The only reason Lin is graded a step lower than Shumpert is simply because he played less games. We know what we all saw from Lin-sanity, but we’re still a little cautious as to just how real that all was. With that being said, unless the Knicks decide to go in a different direction, Jeremy Lin should be their starting point guard next season, and he’ll be a good one, too.

“B” Street -

Steve Novak – B+

What else is there to say about Steve Novak at this point? He led the NBA in 3-pt % and was an absolute force from beyond the arc. The Knicks picked him off the waiver wire scrap heep, so the fact that he made such an impact on the team is why he gets this high of a grade.

Jared Jeffries – B-

I mean, what were we really expecting from Jeffries this year? Energy off the bench, taking a ton of charges and playing strong defense. Check, check and check. At this point, we know what Jared Jeffries is capable of doing and what’s unrealistic to expect. He’s a nice piece to have on the bench, and he proved that yet again this season.

Average “C”s

Carmelo Anthony – C+

OK, time to explain why ‘Melo falls this low. We really went through three different levels of Anthony this season. Out of the gates, he was a flat-out F, playing terrible basketball, looking stagnant on offense and not seeming to give a crap either way. Then, after D’Antoni’s ouster, he played like an MVP, tearing up offensively and playing defense with more vigor. Once we got to the playoffs, it looked like he was trying too hard and his game suffered because of it. Carmelo Anthony was a big reason why the Knicks got to the #7 seed, positively and negatively. He’s also a big reason why they only won one playoff game. This year, he gets a grade a little above average because of the expectations, which only grow after this season.

Baron Davis – C

Remember the time we all thought once Baron Davis got healthy from his initial back problem, he was going to save our season? Oops. Baron Davis didn’t have an impactful year, but he also held his own when he was in the line-up. Unfortunately for Boom Dizzle, it looks like his career is over after that brutal knee injury in Game 4.

J.R. Smith – C

Smith is an interesting case. He absolutely became the Knicks Irrational Confidence Guy off the bench, and there were games he absolutely dominated in that role. However, there were just as many games where Smith was jacking up way too many 3s without getting teammates involved. He was like Al Harrington on steroids when it came to getting the ball on the wing and putting up a shot. I’d like to see Smith return next year because he can be a real valuable sixth man, but it has to be at the right price.

Josh Harrellson – C

This isn’t a knock on Jorts. Instead, he look real good when he did play. But, he didn’t play nearly enough to surpass all expectations this year. He has a solid future moving forward in New York.

“D” List Celebrities 

Landry Fields – D+

Fields was not a complete disappointment, but he definitely regressed in his second season. He showed flashes of Rookie Fields, but Sophomore Fields just didn’t seem to play the game the same way. He didn’t rebound as well, nor score with as much consistency. Maybe it was just a sophomore slump, maybe it was something more. We won’t know until next season which is the real Landry.

Amar’e Stoudemire – D

The amount of times I merely shook my head at a Stoudemire stat line was too many. He was not remotely close to the same player the Knicks gave a max contract to in the off-season of 2010. This all could have been a result of trying to play so many games in a short period of time, or this could be a sign that ‘Melo and STAT will never work. Trust me, this is one of the biggest questions circling around the Knicks front office this off-season.

Mike Bibby – D

He played a couple of games. He didn’t play them really well. That’s Mike Bibby.

Fail

Toney Douglas – F

And a capital F. Toney went from potential starting point guard and strong sixth man to 13th man on the bench. How? We may never know. When he did play this season, he didn’t play well at all. So, its not like the demotion was unjust. I guess we all should be thanking Douglas a little, though. Without him playing so poorly, Mike D’Antoni would’ve never thought to insert Jeremy Lin into the line-up. So, there’s that.

In-com-plete

Jerome Jordan

Was I supposed to be able to judge what this guy can do in the long-term based off his very limited exposure this season?

Dan Gadzuric

Wait…he was on the team????

May 9, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the second half of game five in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Miami Heat of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Miami won 106-94. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

After watching the New York Knicks lose their 13th playoff game in 14 opportunities Wednesday night against the Miami Heat, it really brings some things into perspective as it relates to Anthony and the Knicks’ future.

For one, the Knicks sadly have won only one playoff game since before 9/11 happened, which puts things into perspective of just how long their postseason drought really is.

Next, there’s Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire, the guys who were supposed to turn things around for the Knicks franchise. They are now a combined 1-8 together in the postseason. That number alone brings into question if Meloball has its limitations.

That’s a topic I wanted to wait until the end of the series to tackle in order to see exactly how things played out for Anthony and the Knicks.

The NBA is a superstar-driven league, and the playoffs are the time when those superstars raise their game to another level.

That brings us to Anthony. Is he a great player? Yes. A great scorer? Absolutely.

So that makes Melo a superstar, right?

Hardly.

Superstar status should be earned and not given and Anthony really has nothing on his resume that says he’s the type of player to lead the Knicks to where they eventually want to go as a franchise.

Superstars make others around him better and Melo has never been that type of guy throughout his career.

ESPN’s Kurt Rambis, who was a former Los Angeles Lakers teammate of Magic Johnson and coach of Kobe Bryant, offered a pretty accurate assessment of Melo during a recent podcast when he said, “One of the things he has to learn is how to involve his teammates more. There’s a lot more to winning ballgames than just scoring points.”

Rambis couldn’t have said it better, and Anthony’s career to date suggests that won’t happen anytime soon.

Anthony is a great scorer, but he’s far from being a great player, because he does not consistently elevate his teammates. He averaged a paltry 3.6 assists per game this season and has a career average of 3.1.

Just compare Melo to his close friends from the 2003 draft class. Dwyane Wade has averaged 6.2 assists per game for his career, and LeBron James6.9. Both Miami stars can control a game through their playmaking alone. The same goes for Bryant (4.7 career average), depending on what type of mood Kobe is in from game to game.

Plain and simple, superstars do more for their team than just score the ball.

Take the Game 5 performance of LeBron, for instance. He impacted the game much more as a facilitator early on than Melo had at any point during the five games, despite the fact that he averaged 27.8 points per game in the series.

A superstar also acts like one off the court and shoulders blame whether it’s deserved or not. That’s also not Anthony, who often will shy away from the criticism and blame his and the Knicks struggles on injuries and Mike D’Antoni’s former playbook.

When asked about the Knicks recent playoff drought, Anthony naturally replied to Howard Beck of the New York Times: “I wasn’t here for them losses.”

Well, he’s been here for eight of them now, and there’s no immediate sign of things changing.

Sure, there have been injuries and other circumstances holding this Knicks team back. There were injuries to Stoudemire and Chauncey Billups in 2011 and injuries to Stoudemire, Iman Shumpert and Jeremy Lin in 2012.  But great teams find a way to win. And when they fail, the great players find a way to get things done.

That’s not Anthony, and you have to wonder if Meloball will ever amount to postseason success for the Knicks.

Meloball has proven that a 40-to-50-win regular season is possible, but it’s also proven that postseason success is not.

Anthony is far away from having success against good teams in the playoffs. He shot only .375 from the floor as the Knicks were swept by the Boston Celtics in 2011. This season against the Heat, Anthony didn’t perform much better, shooting only .419 from the floor and .222 from behind the arc.

May 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) dribbles the ball against the Miami Heat during the second half of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 89-87. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Take out his 41-point effort in a Game 4 Knicks win, and you have a guy that averaged 24.5 points per game but did so shooting only .389 from the floor (37-of-95).

That’s the thing about Meloball as it relates to playoff basketball. He can give you a heroic performance from time to time, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t do much for his team winning a series.

Throughout his nine-year career, Melo has only been able to impact the game by scoring. There’s no doubting that he’s one of the best in the game today, as his 24.7 career scoring average will attest to. But Anthony makes no impact on the game at the defensive end of the floor, very little impact on the glass (6.3 career RPG) and doesn’t offer up much as a playmaker for others.

Again, look at how LeBron had a complete impact on Game 5, and then look at Melo’s performance.

Sure, he scored a game-high 35 points, but he did it on a 15-31 shooting performance.

After a less than spectacular Game 1, in which Anthony scored only 11 points, he averaged 27.25 shot attempts per game the rest of the series.

Meloball also makes Stoudemire a non-factor in the Knicks offense. During Game 5, Melo took 31 shots to only seven from Amar’e. Quite simply, that’s awful balance.

The postseason failures of Anthony continue to speak for themselves.

In nine postseasons, Anthony is only 17-37—the worst record among active players with at least 50 playoff games—and has won a first-round series only once, in 2009. Since then, he has lost 12 of 14 playoff games.

Anthony had a great run in April playing Meloball, where he dominates the offense in isolation sets, leading the Knicks to a 9-4 finish while averaging 29.8 PPG, shooting .495 from the floor without Stoudemire and Lin in the lineup.

But we saw this postseason that Meloball has its limitations.

Good defensive teams like Boston and Miami will continue to throw different looks at Anthony and make things difficult on him, basically knowing that if they make things tough on him, he will do very little to impact the game in other areas.

Some may feel a good point guard will help, but Anthony is uncomfortable in a point guard-dominated offense and admitted as much a week before D’Antoni resigned. So far, the only offense that seems to please Melo is one where everyone else passes and he shoots.

If that’s the case, then fine. Anthony will continue to rack up high scoring numbers and first-round playoff exits.

But for the Knicks to ever entertain the thought of considering themselves legitimate championship contenders, they have to find a way for Anthony to succeed in a different style of basketball, which is going to be a very tough sell.

As it stands right now, Meloball has its limitations, especially when it comes to the postseason.

May 9, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) is fouled by Miami Heat shooting guard Mike Miller (13) during the first half of game five in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Miami won 106-94. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

But notice I called Melo a star and not a superstar, because that’s exactly what he is.

That’s not a necessary knock on Melo—he is what he is as a player and that’s a dynamic scorer, but that’s all Anthony is right now.

In today’s game—where everyone from other NBA players, to the media, to the casual fan gives out the superstar label as if it were Halloween candy—Anthony’s postseason failures just offer up further proof that the word “superstar,” is used way too much in today’s game.

Is Anthony the best scorer in the NBA today? Quite possibly.

Is Melo a superstar? Not a chance.

We live in an age where a player is given the title of superstar after a couple nice highlights, a few big games or even a good season or two. Along with that moniker comes high expectations of success. They get the big contracts, but so many of today’s “superstars” don’t come close to meeting what’s expected of a real superstar.

In Anthony’s case, you have a guy that’s strictly a scorer, but he doesn’t have the multiple facets of his game that a superstar does.

To prove a point, just compare the Game 5 performances of Miami’s LeBron James and that of Anthony.

LeBron made a huge impact on the game as a facilitator and on the defensive end, but came through as a scorer when he had to. Anthony scored 35 points (on 31 shots), but James impacted the game in every aspect possible, finishing with 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

Anthony can only impact the game on a consistent basis by scoring.

You can use the excuse of he had to be a scorer because the Knicks were banged up and that’s fine, but what’s the excuse going to be for the rest of his career?

However, the most important reason why Anthony isn’t a superstar is the fact that he doesn’t elevate his teammates.

Superstars make those around them better, and Anthony has never done that at any one point throughout his career.

That one quality is what separates the superstars in this league from the rest of the players.

There’s no knocking Melo’s ability, but there’s also no disputing the results—Anthony is only 17-37 in the postseason and has been out of the first round only once in his career. Superstars can put teams on their back for stretches, similar to what Melo did in Game 4, but he’s never proven that ability on a consistent basis.

In the NBA, superstars are often judged by playoff success, which Anthony is far from achieving. If it’s fair to knock a guy like LeBron for not winning a ring, it’s also fair to criticize Anthony for never coming close.

The problem isn’t necessarily Melo as much as it is that we tend to anoint stars as superstars before they’ve really earned that status. The good news for Anthony is that he’s only 28 years old, so he still has plenty of time left to prove the critics wrong.

If he does, maybe one day we will be able to call Melo a true superstar.

May 9, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (left) with small forward Carmelo Anthony (right) after Stoudemire fouls out of the game during the second half of game five in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Miami Heat of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Speaking of the offseason, does any team have more early questions to answer than the Knicks?

They have to find answers on many issues including if  Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire can co-exist. Whatever the answer to that question is, general manager Glen Grunwald must decide on the futures of Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin, as well.

Fans are still weeks away from finding out the future plans for the Knicks as it relates to the 2012-13 season, but here’s a look at how things could eventually play out.

Carmelo Anthony

The Knicks sold the farm for Anthony, and they will sink or swim with him. He’s not going anywhere anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean everything is good with Anthony in the Big Apple.

Since Anthony arrived, the Knicks are only 31-40 with both he and Stoudemire in the lineup, so something needs to be done. If Anthony is going to be a superstar, he has to elevate others around him, and that’s something he has been unable to do.

Melo must learn to adjust and be less reliant on Meloball. That may work sometimes, as we saw in Game 4 and the month of April, but long-term success is doubtful if Anthony doesn’t make his share of sacrifices as well.

Anthony will be in a Knicks uniform, but making the necessary sacrifices is something that I don’t know if he can do.

Amar’e Stoudemire

The hot topic is going to be whether or not the Knicks trade Stoudemire, especially after a not-so-spectacular Game 5 performance.

Should they trade him? Personally, I say no.

For one, they won’t get proper value for him given the fact that he’s owed over $60 million and has bad knees and a bad back. There’s also the fact that I would like to see how the pieces fit together with everyone healthy and a full training camp under their belt.

Having said that though, I expect Grunwald to shop Stoudemire aggressively in the offseason, but ultimately, I expect him in a Knicks uniform when the 2012-13 season tips off.

If he and Anthony still aren’t clicking together by midseason, tough decisions will have to be made, and Stoudemire will go before Anthony.

Jeremy Lin

The Knicks need a point guard, but does anyone know for sure that Lin is the guy?

He was great during his short stint running the Knicks’ offense, but its way too small of a sample size to make an accurate decision on his future.

Committing to Lin long term right now is very risky, especially given the salary cap situation. If the Knicks backload a deal for Lin, they will run into severe cap problems down the road with Anthony, Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler and Lin eating up almost all of the cap.

The ideal situation would be to sign a Goran Dragic or Steve Nash and also keep Lin around as a backup for now. The problem with that, though, is that someone will throw Lin big money in the offseason.

Due to the Gilbert Arenas provision in the new CBA, no team can offer Lin more than the mid-level exception for the first year of his upcoming contract, and the Knicks have the right to match any offer. You would hope they could sign Lin cheaply and use the MLE on another player, but that’s not possible right now.

The decision on Lin is the toughest one Grunwald has to make, and ultimately, I think Lin gets a three-year deal, which will make it very hard to improve the team in other areas.

Bottom line is the Knicks need a point guard. They just have to be sure that Lin is the right guy.

The Mac’s Sports Report is hosted by Jeremy McNamee and Gavin Berry and can usually be heard Monday’s and Thursday’s at 7:00 p.m. EST.  All New York sports fans should give it a listen as Jeremy and Gavin discuss not only what’s hot in the world of New York sports, but the hot topics around the national scene as well.

Tonight though, forget the national stuff as it’s all New York Knicks leading right up to game time.

This is a must listen for any Knicks fan as the Mac’s Sports Report will keep you up on the latest Knicks news leading all the way up to tip-off.

You can listen to the show, which airs from 6:30 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. EST by clicking the link below.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/macs-sports-report/2012/05/09/macs-sports-report

According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, two people familiar with the situation have said that the Knicks owner has told Woodson that he will be re-signed and will become the team’s permanent head coach.

Sources: #Knicks never call Phil to gauge interest as Woody is informed by Dolan he’s his guy. nyp.st/K17Ijq

— Marc Berman (@NYPost_Berman) May 9, 2012

There were plenty of rumors since Mike D’Antoni stepped down in March about former Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson becoming the next head coach, but according to Berman, the Knicks didn’t even bother reaching out to Jackson because he didn’t seem to be interested in the position.

May 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson on the sidelines against the Miami Heat during the first half of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 89-87. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

A source reported that Jackson actually wanted Woodson to get the job because Woodson was drafted by Jackson’s mentor Red Holzman.

It looks like the owner is happy with the job that Woodson has done, finishing the regular season with an 18-6 record and winning the first postseason game for the franchise since 2001.

Although it is unclear what type of contract offer he might receive, Berman suggests that a three-year deal is possible.

The Knicks played more like the team everyone expected them to be down the stretch and that is despite a rash of injuries that forced stars Amar’e Stoudemire, Jeremy Lin and Tyson Chandler to miss games.

New York has also been without guard Iman Shumpert in its series against the Heat, so Woodson has had plenty of adversity to deal with.

If Woodson has the opportunity to start fresh next season with healthy stars in Carmelo Anthony, Stoudemire, Chandler and Lin, it will be extremely interesting to see what he can do.

This season hasn’t gone according to plan, but with Woodson seemingly back in the fold, there just may be light at the end of the tunnel after all.

Woodson then clarified his statements to say, again, he would love to be the Knicks coach after this season, but nothing is set in stone. Meanwhile, Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire both reiterated their desire for the Knicks to keep Woodson as the coach, which is the strongest support any future coach will ever need in New York.

There is growing support throughout New York and amongst Knicks fans that the team should move quickly to re-sign Woodson and keep him as the coach on a permanent basis moving forward. The numbers speak for themselves when you consider what Woodson inherited after Mike D’Antoni resigned. The Knicks went 18-6 under the former Atlanta Hawks coach, and locked up the 7th-seed in the Eastern Conference after living on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. Furthermore, the defense played a much stronger defense once Woodson took the reigns, and Carmelo Anthony thrived once out of the Seven Seconds of Less offense. Top to bottom, the Knicks were a tremendously better team under Woodson than D’Antoni, and nobody is going to argue that.

Keeping all of that in mind, allow me to introduce to readers of Buckets Over Broadway what I like to call “The Jerry Manuel Theory”.

If you read this site regularly, by now I’m sure you have discovered my first true love in the sporting world resides in Queens with the New York Mets. My love for them runs about as deep as the love I have for my own family, because a lot of my memories growing up as a kid and with my dad come from the times we spent at Shea Stadium. Back in 2008, the Mets fired then-manager Willie Randolph, who was about eight months removed from the devastating 2007 collapse that saw the Mets lose out on a playoff spot and a second consecutive National League East crown on the final day of the season (ugh). To this day, its still one of the strangest firings in sports history. The Mets finished a twi-night double header against the Texas Rangers at Shea (my buddy Dan and I sat through both games, nearly falling asleep in the second from baseball overload), and the team immediately boarded a flight to Los Angeles for an inter-league series with the Angels. When the team landed at 3am eastern time, Omar Minaya landed in LA and announced that Randolph, who traveled with the team, would no longer manage the Mets.

WARNING: The Jerry Manuel Theory applies here.

At the time of the manager move, the Mets were 33-34, Carlos Delgado was playing terrible baseball, nobody was pitching and it seemed that the team was headed nowhere and fast. Minaya promoted bench coach Jerry Manuel. Manuel was a former American League Manager of the Year with the Chicago White Sox, and was a well respected baseball mind who many said kept a loose clubhouse, in stark contrast from Wille Randolph’s business-like mentality. From that time, I remember turning to my dad and saying that the Mets needed to play .600 baseball in order to win 90 games and get to the playoffs.

Once Willie left, something just happened to the Mets. Delgado exploded, with many pointing towards the apparent rift he had with Randolph that was holding him back. The Mets played incredible baseball in the second half of the season, which featured a 10-game winning streak and coming, again, within one game of a playoff appearence. After the season, the team removed the interim tag from his title and signed him to a two-year contract.

The similarities between Woodson/D’Antoni and Manuel/Randolph to me don’t just stop there. Both coaches had polar opposite mind-sets, and both Woodson and Manuel were generally liked among the fanbases, so much so that fans put aside their inherent desire for proven, championship-caliber managers/coaches like Bobby Valentine or Phil Jackson. Each fan base would talk about the names, say its nice to imagine, but acknowledged that the way the interim’s did, they deserved another chance.

Needless to say, the next two years for Manuel were nothing like his first 2/3 of a season. 2009 wasn’t completely Manuel’s fault, considering how many injuries the Mets suffered. But, 2010 was such a brutal mismanagement by both Manuel and Omar Minaya that it can’t be understated how poorly they planned the Mets for the future.

To me, the reason why Mets fans rallied behind Jerry Manuel in 2008 was because he wasn’t Willie Randolph. He was our rebound manager. Anybody could’ve been better than Willie because Willie was awful. We needed to break up with him, and we, as a fan base, were ready to shack up with anyone and everyone. In fact, the Mets probably could’ve put any manager in Manuel’s 2008 shoes and they would’ve done better. Once the honeymoon ended in 2009, Mets fans looked at each other and now didn’t know how to get out of a mistake relationship. Like any rebound after a series girlfriend that you had remarkable highs and devastating lows with (Randolph), the first girlfriend after should never be your next long-term option.

That’s the reason I’m skeptical about Mike Woodson staying with the Knicks beyond this season. Personally, I thought the Knicks missed their real opportunity last off-season when Rick Adelman was available. Now, Adelman is entrenched in Minnesota and not going anywhere with that young nucleus. If at the end of the season and Knicks management sits back, evaluates all of their options and comes to terms that Woodson is the best coach moving forward, then no Knicks fan will complain. He’s earned our respect.

But, Knicks fans need to be cautious. The last thing I would want as a fan is to see the Manuel Theory in play once again. I’m not emotionally prepared for that.

Apr 28, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (1) during the second half of game one in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Miami Heat of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Considering the fact that the Knicks are down 3-1 in their first round series against the Miami Heat and that they’ve dealt with injury after injury and a midseason coaching change, all eyes should already be on next season.

But how will the Knicks look next season on paper?

One major change that could happen is a potential trade of Stoudemire. Since his losing battle with a fire extinguisher, more and more people have been speculating into the fact that the Knicks will look to deal Stoudemire in the offseason.

It makes sense on paper to deal a player with a history of injuries and $60 million still owed to him, but it’s the wrong move right now and the Knicks need to give this core one more chance.

There will be changes to the roster, but if New York can come back with a starting lineup of Jeremy Lin, Iman Shumpert,  Carmelo Anthony, Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler, then they have the talent to make a playoff run.

Sure, it’s true that Stoudemire can’t stay healthy and hasn’t meshed well with Anthony, but give them a full season and see what they can do.

For one, the lockout was costly.

Stoudemire came in out of shape and lacked explosiveness. There wasn’t much training camp to get ready, so he, Anthony and Chandler pretty much had to pick things up on the fly.

Given a full training camp, hopefully under Mike Woodson, maybe the three stars will be able to finally figure each other out and get the 2012-13 season off under a good note.

Also consider that due to circumstances, there’s been very little practice time this season. Yeah, I’m talking about practice.

Think about how few games Anthony and Stoudemire actually played together with Lin at point guard. The projected future starting five of  Lin, Shumpert, Anthony, Stoudemire and Chandler was the 19th-most-used five man combination of the season for the Knicks.

Between a full training camp, practice time and a spread out schedule, this unit can still have success.

It’s far too early to pull the plug, especially looking at the injuries the Knicks have dealt with this season.

Just looking at the future projected starting five: Lin played in only 35 of 66 games and is currently hurt; Shumpert played in only 59 of 66 and is currently hurt; Anthony played in only 55 of 66; Stoudemire 47 of 66; and Chandler, while playing in 62 of 66 did so very banged up throughout the season.

Sure, it’s pulling out the excuse book a little bit, but the only way to get this thing working in the Big Apple is by getting healthy in the offseason and getting enough practice time to figure out each other’s tendencies.

Stoudemire is the one that chose to come to New York to make this team contenders for a championship. It would be nice to give him another opportunity to try and finish the job.

Apr 26, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin (17) shoots the ball before the start of the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-US PRESSWIRE

Even after winning Game 4 in New York on Sunday, the finish line is nowhere in sight yet for the Knicks, who put an end to their own personal 13-game playoff losing streak with Sunday’s win.

However, if they plan to start any kind of playoff winning streak this season, Lin is going to have to play a role in that and play through the pain.

If the Knicks weren’t so depleted in the backcourt, Lin playing really wouldn’t be an issue, but it’s turned into a huge problem. One that Lin needs to lend a hand to.

As soon as Baron Davis went down, the pressure for Lin to come in and save the Knicks for a second time began to mount. You’ve heard all types of theories on why Lin shouldn’t, including that it would hurt him in negotiating with teams as a free agent in the offseason, but it’s foolish to believe that one game will effect his earning potential.

We’re approaching the original six weeks that Lin was supposed to be out for after his knee surgery, and Lin didn’t do himself any favors by setting Game 4 as a hopeful return date earlier on in the series. But now his team needs him, so if Lin is able to, he must step up to the plate and suit up for Game 5.

I’m not suggesting by any means that Lin play if he can’t go or isn’t medically cleared, but if he’s able to run, jump, cut and absorb contact, then he has to give it a go.

Now, you can subscribe to the theory of “the Knicks won’t beat the Heat anyway.” While that may be true, they would be foolish to go down with bullets left in their gun.

The concerning part for me is the rust that will be on Lin after not playing a game since March 24 against the Detroit Pistons.

Knicks interim head coach Mike Woodson also sees Lin’s return as doubtful due to not being in basketball shape, telling ESPNNewYork.com’s Ian Begley:

I’ve watched him shoot and run up and down, he’s not in great shape. You know as well as I know, playoff basketball, you’ve got to be (in peak condition). And he hasn’t played in a while, so I don’t know if that’s going to be a determining factor with the doctors.

Then there’s the fact that Lin wouldn’t be coming back to play in just any game—it would be against LeBron James and the Miami Heat. The same suffocating Heat defense that forced Lin to his worst game as a starter, harassing him into eight turnovers and 1-of-11 shooting in a February 23 Miami win.

I’m not suggesting that Lin playing would save the Knicks. It would be a lot to ask the guy to save the season twice in one year. But if we learned anything from Lin already, it’s to expect the unexpected from this guy.

His own Willis Reed-type moment would be huge for the Knicks.

Even if Lin can only play 15-20 minutes, and that would likely be the limit, you wouldn’t be able to calculate the emotional lift it would give to his teammates and the Knicks fanbase.

That’s all the more reason that if he can go, he must attempt to play through the pain.

A Mike Bibby and Toney Douglas point guard duo isn’t going to get the job done, but who knows? Maybe Lin has a little magic left and a few more tricks up his sleeve in what will definitely go down as the Year of Linsanity.

Interim head coach Mike Woodson doesn’t expect Lin to play and attempt to save the Knicks season for the second time this season. That leaves Game 5 on the road in Miami in the hands of veteran Mike Bibby; unless something happens in the next two days that could allow Lin to play.

“I’m going at this as if he’s not going to play. That’s how it’s been here for the last month, month and a half, and that’s how I’m preparing,” Woodson said during a conference call.

“I’ve watched him shoot and run up and down. He’s not in great shape and you know as well as I know that playoff basketball, you’ve got to be at an all-time high, and he hasn’t played in a while,” Woodson said. “So I don’t know if that’s going to be a determining factor with the doctors, and the fact that he hasn’t played. I can say, yes, he looks good, but again, does he feel good? Do the doctors think it’s enough time based on the injury that he’s had to get him out on the floor? I can’t make that decision.”

There have been reports that the Knicks have been pressuring Lin to play on Wednesday, but so far there’s been no signs coming from the Knicks brass that he will be able to give it a go.

Apr 26, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin (17) shoots the ball before the start of the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-US PRESSWIRE

That leaves Bibby and seldom used Toney Douglas as the Knicks only floor generals for a very important Game 5.

Lin has been playing in 3-on-3 workouts after surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee April 2. The Knicks said at the time he was expected to miss six weeks, meaning his season was likely over unless they reached the second round.

He was going to work out again Monday, and the Knicks will practice Tuesday. Woodson said he would prefer to see Lin go through an entire practice with full contact before seeing him in a game against one of the NBA’s fiercest defenses. But there’s just no time for that.

Even if Lin can go, fans must realize he hasn’t played in a game in over five weeks, meaning the rust will be there.

Then there’s the fact that the Heat harassed Lin into eight turnovers and 1-for-11 shooting in a Feb. 23 victory in Miami, Lin’s worst game since he assumed the starting point guard spot.

No matter who ends up being the Knicks point guard on Wednesday night, they will face a tough challenge. Someone has to rise to the occasion though and it looks like Bibby will get the first opportunity.

May 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) drives to the around Miami Heat power forward Chris Bosh (1), small forward Shane Battier (31) and shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the second half of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 89-87. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Anthony was outstanding, scoring 41 points and putting the Knicks on his back late in the game, but like everything else during the Knicks’ roller-coaster season, good news is met with a dose of bad news.

Despite Anthony’s heroics and the return of Amar’e Stoudemire to the Knicks lineup, New York suffered another costly injury when it lost point guard Baron Davis, who dislocated his right kneecap in the third quarter.

With no Davis in the lineup and rookie Iman Shumpert already on the shelf with a knee injury, the Knicks are down to what promises to be the unproductive duo of Mike Bibby and Toney Douglas or a possible return of injured point guard Jeremy Lin.

While Melo’s hero ball worked for one game, it’s not likely to have much success if Lin returns, though.

Granted, Anthony shot the ball pretty well on Sunday, going 15-of-29 from the floor, but looking back on his past playoff performances with New York, Melo shot only .375 from the floor in last season’s sweep at the hands of the Boston Celtics and was only shooting .344 (22-of-64) in the first three games of this series.

If Lin returns to the lineup, and there’s no indication he’s going to be ready, to succeed the Knicks offense is going to need to rely on ball movement and that hasn’t been Anthony’s strength in postseason play.

This postseason alone, despite the poor shooting percentage, Anthony has attempted 33 percent of the Knicks’ shots from the floor.

Once Lin emerged as a potential star, the Knicks’ playmaking needs were resolved, so Melo didn’t have to attempt to fill that role, but Anthony was uncomfortable in a point-guard-dominated offense and admitted as much a week before Mike D’Antoni resigned as head coach.

He hasn’t been able to play with other teammates effectively, as the Knicks’ best success with Lin came with Anthony out of the lineup and Anthony’s best success in a Knicks uniform came in April with both Lin and Stoudemire nursing injuries.

It’s unfortunate for Knicks fans, but there is a reason that Anthony has a career playoff record of 17-36 in nine career postseasons, has got out of the first round only once and has the worst career postseason winning percentage (.321) of any player with 50 or more playoff games under his belt.

An isolation-dominated offense, or Meloball, can get a team 40-50 regular season wins, but it doesn’t work against good defensive teams in the playoffs.

But that’s the way Anthony plays the game and if he’s going to go down, he’s going down shooting.

Adding Lin to the mix is just going to have Anthony out of sorts. Of course, that’s with a Lin who’s been playing, not a rusty Lin who hasn’t played basketball in five weeks.

If Meloball stands any chance, and it doesn’t stand much this series, he’s going to need the ball in his hands a ton.

If Lin is going well, the Knicks offense is based on playmaking and ball movement, but when it hits Anthony’s hands, the movement will stop and the tempo Lin creates will slow down.

One day, for the Knicks to have postseason success, Anthony is going to have to learn to play with his teammates better, but it’s going to be a lot to ask him to change his game with only three days in between Game 4 and Game 5.

As good as it would be to see Lin back on the court, the chances of things working right now between he and Melo are very slim.

Lin may give them an initial spark, but it’s going to be Anthony who either puts the Knicks on his back or shoots New York right out of the series.

May 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Baron Davis (85) gestures to the crowd as he is carried off the court after an injury against the Miami Heat during the second half of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 89-87. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

The New York Knicks can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to injuries, self-inflicted or otherwise.

Sure New York won their first postseason game since before 9-11 when they defeated the Miami Heat Sunday afternoon, but like it has been all season, good news is met with bad news as the injuries for the Knicks continue to pile up.

This time it’s very costly as point guard Baron Davis dislocated his kneecap when he planted on a fast break in the third quarter.

Davis is already filling in for starting point guard Jeremy Lin and his injury is crucial as New York is running out of ball handlers with rookie Iman Shumpert also on the shelf with a knee injury.

For Davis, the injury brings a tough season full circle.

He began the season in Cleveland with a bad back and was a victim of the amnesty clause. After signing with the Knicks, Davis missed the first 32 games of the season and while he was viewed as a savior to a team that had bad point guard play to begin the season, he ultimately became a casualty to Linsanity as when Davis returned, he did so as a backup to Lin.

Davis eventually started 14 games when Lin injured his knee, but never really got into a groove as his one season in the Big Apple saw him average only 6.1 PPG and 4.7 APG on the season while shooting only .370 from the floor.

Now that Davis is gone, veteran Mike Bibby appears to be next in line, but Bibby hasn’t done much better throughout the season.

The Knicks can hold out hope that Lin could return for Game 5 and if he does it could prove to be a huge lift for a depleted New York backcourt.

One thing is for sure though and that’s the story of the 2012 New York Knicks season has been injuries and Davis joins the parade for the second time this season.

Apr 30, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (1) reacts during the first half of game two in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

I waited until whether or not New York Knicks forward Amar’e Stoudemire would play in Game 4 against the Miami Heat to write this , but his self-inflicted hand injury that Stoudemire obtained by punching a glass case containing a fire extinguisher.

That got me thinking about other self-inflicted sports injuries.

There have been plenty moments of stupidity involving athletes throughout the years and Stoudemire is no exception.

But where does Stoudemire rank among the best of the worst when it comes to self-inflicted sports injuries through the years?

I’ve come up with a creative list, but there are plenty that were left out. Feel free to let me know which your favorite self-inflicted injuries of all-time are and where Stoudemire’s latest mishap should rank.

Honorable mentions: Los Angeles Angles Kendry Morales (tearing ACL jumping on home plate after walk-off homer), Brandon Inge (fluffing a pillow for his son which caused him to strain his oblique muscle), Stoudemire (injured back in 2011 while doing a trick dunk in warm-ups), Monta Ellis (suffered a serious ankle injury when he tipped over on a Moped scooter during the 2008 off-season) and Gerald Diduck (decided to body surf down an airplane aisle, crashed into the galley and wrenched his back)

10. Milton Bradley:  The San Diego Padres might have won a wild card into the NL playoffs in 2007 if Milton Bradley hadn’t blown out his knee while being held back from an umpire by his manager Bud Black.

Bradley missed the final week, the Padres were overtaken by Colorado, and they lost a one-game playoff to the Rockies for the wild-card berth.

9. Brian Anderson:  The former Diamondbacks pitcher once fried his face while attempting to determine whether the iron in his hotel room was hot.

It was.

8. John Tudor: In 1985, Tudor was so upset after losing Game 7 of the World Series that he punched an electric fan. It sliced up his hand, and after winning 21 games in 1985 he never won more than 13 again.

7. Dustin Penner: The NHL star had to be kept out of the lineup after injuring his back while eating pancakes. How can you come away from a delicious breakfast un-injured?

“Apparently it’s one of those mysterious things, where you can throw it out (from) sneezing. I just leaned over to dip into some delicious pancakes that my wife made.”

6. Joel Zumaya: The Detroit Tigers fire-baller injured himself twice by playing video games.  He strained his wrist while playing Guitar Hero and having a box fall on his shoulder.

I hope Zumaya did well at the video game because he had to miss the entire 2006 American League Championship Series as a result.

5. Paulo Diogo: In a 2004 match, the Swiss soccer star celebrated a teammate’s goal by jumping onto a fence. When he jumped back down, his wedding ring caught on the fence and he made the descent without the ring or a generous portion of his finger.

Not only were surgeons unable to later re-attach what remained of his mangled finger, but he was assessed a yellow card for excessive celebration.

4. Chris Hanson swinging an ax: The Pro Bowl punter for the Jacksonville Jaguars missed the final seven games of the 2003 season after swinging an ax at a wood stump in the locker room as part of a Jack Del Rio motivational scheme.

Hanson whacked his foot instead. You can enter all type of stump punch lines at this time.

3. Bill Gramatica’s celebration: Anyone remember this? How could you forget? Gramatica nailed a 43-yard field goal in the first quarter of a game and jumped around like he just won the Super Bowl, and then landed wrong and tore his ACL.

2. Gus Ferrotte’s head-butt: I know he was excited, but what on earth would possess someone to head-butt a wall?

1.  Plaxico Burress shooting himself: Really? Really? We all know the story by now about the boneheaded Burress famously firing a bullet into his leg. Then he was sentenced to prison for violating New York’s strict gun laws.

One thing is certain and that’s the Knicks will have a far different look in 2013.

Apr. 13, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Steve Novak (16) shoots a three-pointer during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 103-65. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Only Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire, Josh Harrleson, Jerome Jordan and Iman Shumpert are under contract for next season. That’s six players owed a whopping $57.2 million in 2013.

The Knicks do have a $2.1 million team option on point guard Toney Douglas and J.R Smith holds a $2.5 million player option which he more than likely won’t exercise. With the salary cap set to be a flat $58 million next season, the Knicks don’t have much wiggle room.

New York owns just the mid-level exception (expected to go to Jeremy Lin), the $2 million bi-annual exception and the veteran’s minimum. There are provisions in the new CBA that should make it so the Knicks can retain both Lin and guard Landry Fields (restricted free agent).

Basically what that amounts to is the likes of Smith, Baron Davis, Mike Bibby, Jared Jeffries, and unfortunately Steve Novak will all need to be replaced by players working at or near the minimum salary.

It will be very tough to see Novak take perhaps his final shot in a Knicks uniform on Sunday, but basketball is a business and after the season Novak had, leading the NBA in 3-point percentage (47.2 percent).

The six-year vet became a fan-favorite at the Garden and averaged career highs in scoring (8.8 PPG) and minutes (18:53).

However after the season he put together, Novak will certainly command more than the $1 million he made this season.

Novak’s situation is similar to Shawne Williams’ last season. Both are unsung forwards who emerged to become sharpshooters. That doesn’t bode well for the Knicks. Last year, Williams said, “This is where I want to play at.” He ultimately signed with the Nets.

Unfortunately the next time the clock hits triple-zeros and the Knicks are behind on the scoreboard, it won’t just be the end of a roller coaster season. It will also be waving bye to a couple key pieces to this season’s team.

When the season ends for the Knicks, general manager Glen Grunwald must get right to work. He’s got a lot to do, not only signing players, but deciding on a full-time head coach as well.

Along the way, it would be nice to see if he could find a way to keep a guy like Novak in a Knicks uniform. He turned out to be a weapon that will ultimately be very tough to replace.

What could Jeremy Lin have meant to the Knicks against the Heat?

When any series goes wrong in any sport, the mind becomes flooded with so many “what if” questions that it becomes hard to keep track of them all.

One of the first “what ifs” we’re all going to have to embrace has been staring us in the face with those new glasses he’s been sporting on the bench: What if Jeremy Lin had been healthy?

To me, this is such a fascinating question because there are so many different variables that go into what Jeremy Lin returning to the line-up could’ve meant. Remember, though it feels like centuries ago, the Knicks came into the playoffs on fire. Carmelo Anthony was playing out of his mind and had New Yorkers feeling like the world was good again. Amar’e was returning into the fold to add another wrinkle to the offensive attack. Shumpert firmly entrenched himself into the starting line-up as a defensive stopper. Even Baron Davis was showing signs of life.

So, what if Jeremy Lin was healthy?

It would be completely unfair to judge Lin’s experience against the Heat off of one game during the height of Lin-sanity when the Knicks went down to Miami and, gulp, got extinguished. When the Knicks were hot during Lin-sanity, there was nobody more valuable to New York. During the Knicks treading water period pre-All Star break, Lin was still a very effective offense player that averaged around 16 points and 7 assists, but turning the ball over a bit. Even during the D’Antoni team tank job that forced him to re-sign, Lin was still competent.

When Woodson took over, Lin actually seemed to have better control of the ball on offense. His turnover ratio became more controlled. He was still able to find his teammates, and still commanded attention from opposing defenses. Teams couldn’t only plan for Anthony, they needed to compensate for what Lin.

So, again, I ask: what if Jeremy Lin had been healthy for this series?

Does Lin provide an immediate spark to the offense? Of course. Is Mike Woodson more capable of finding enough touches for Carmelo, Amar’e and Lin in comparison to Mike D’Antoni? Absolutely. Does a healthy Lin allow the Knicks with more flexibility on their bench, allowing Fields, Davis, Novak and Smith to form literally an entire second wave all while allowing the starters some valuable rest? Naturally.

But, even then, it brings the Knicks closer to the Heat, but I don’t think it tops Miami. Blood is in the water and Miami is tasting it. For the first time in their tumultuous two-plus years together, this seems to be the first time they’re playing with an edge. They’re not timid anymore. They’re playing with a serious mean streak. The way they’re functioning right now, I don’t know if there’s a fully healthy team that can shut them down.

There will come a day where it’ll need to be decided exactly how valuable Jeremy Lin is to the Knicks in terms of dollars, cents and years. In fact, with the Knicks one more loss away from the off-season, that question is fast approaching reality.

Over the first three games of this series, the Knicks have had more problems then just play from the point or balls falling in the bucket. ‘Melo has disappeared. Amar’e never seemingly returned. Shump blew out his knee. J.R. Smith has built at least three additional stories to the new World Trade Center building with his awful bricks. Novak has disappeared. Baron Davis has remained to be Baron Davis.

Could the Knicks have competed better with the Heat with a healthy Jeremy Lin? There is no question.

However, should the Knicks have been competitive, Lin or no Lin, with the Heat from the start? Yes. No question.

And that, more than anything else that could’ve, should’ve, might’ve, probably would’ve happened had Lin played is why this question is truly irrelevant. The Knicks dead panned. They dropped the ball, sort of speak.

So, in hindsight, maybe the better “what if” question should have simply been:

What if the Knicks just played better basketball?

May 3, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) brings the ball during the second half of game three in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden. Miami won 87-70. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

As I’m sitting here watching the final seconds of the Knick lose again to the Heat, my father walks down the stairs. He has been working for fourteen hours and is not even the slightest basketball fan. All he sees is the seventeen point loss on the screen and ask me

Nonchalantly:

“Wow, they got their ass kicked again?”

All I could sadly respond is “Yeah dad, they did”

What I really wanted to say was “Well they played a great first half, lead by six at half, took the MVP out of the game in the third and were only down by two to the best team in the East entering the fourth.”

He would have asked, “Well, what the hell happened?”

That is my question.

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!

Every casual fan who was too busy to watch the game tonight and picks up the paper tomorrow will see the box score and say to themselves “Yeah pretty much what I expected, the Heat are too good.”

They are right in the sense that the Heat are good, but if you watched this game you see that the Heat are beatable if you play a full game.

This has been the Knicks problem the whole series. They hang with the Heat in the beginning and the Heat always has the lead, but it is always in reach. The Knicks are always one run away. One hot streak of shooting. Couple of breaks here and there, turnovers by the other team, and my dad wouldn’t have said that.

Knicks played the best they can through three quarters. The Garden was rocking; the Heat, especially LeBron, couldn’t get in a rhythm, turning over the ball like he was a rookie point guard. The Garden crowd was clearly in his head throughout three.

Then the fourth quarter happened.

Miami showed to beat them you have to play all 48 minutes. Twenty-four or 36 minutes don’t give you the win, the whole game does. Dwyane Wade took over the third quarter, while LeBron James and Mario Chalmers took over the fourth.

Who did the Knicks have shooting for them in the fourth?

Landry Fields.

I have been saying this whole series the Knicks are one big run away from stealing a game. Now I will say the Knicks are one or two, maybe even three players away from being serious contenders in the East and to the Heat.

You have your scorer in Carmelo Anthony. You have your low post covered with Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler.

The rest? Fill in the blanks.

Hopefully next year this team after a long day of work when my father comes home and sees a Knicks playoff game on, he will say something different.

Something like “Wow, the Knicks really kicked THEIR ass tonight!

Did the marriage between 'Melo and STAT ever have a chance?

I specifically waited until after Game 2 to write this post. I wanted to view the relationship one more time on such a large stage before passing what I would believe is a final judgement.

Then, Game 2 happened. Amar’e was non-existent. He punched a fire extinguisher. We all know the story by now.

In my mind, the question has thoroughly been answered. However, I think the question was answered a long time ago, and most fans didn’t recognize that it was. In fact, I’d go so far to say that the question was unfair to ask.

Why was the question unfair to ask?

Because Amar’e Stoudemire may be finished.

I’m not overreacting. I’m really not. Look, when the Knicks signed Amar’e to the massive five-year, $100 million contract, the team couldn’t get insurance on his knees. His knees were never going to magically get better, especially if nobody thought he would last long enough where they would guarantee the Knicks contract on him.

Once Amar’e took the court as a Knick, Mike D’Antoni began to ride him. All of it came to a head in December of ’10, when the Knicks were riding hot, fans were chanting MVP for Stoudemire each time he got fouled, and New York became a basketball city once again. By all means, it was a great month for Amar’e in New York, probably the best month he’ll ever enjoy here.

In 13 games, Amar’e put up 29.8ppg, 9.7rpg, 2.7bpg, shot 53.6% from the field, 80.6% from the line, and was the center piece of the Knicks offense, taking over 22 shots a night.

But, you know what else Amar’e averaged? 39.5 minutes a night.

Since December of 2010, its all been downhill, even pre-’Melo. He dipped to 25.7 in January on 45.6% shooting in January, then 24.3 in February and March. Former Saints defensive coordinator is now famous for the phrase “If you hit the head, you kill the body”, but for basketball purposes, if the legs go on you, everything else will suffer. That’s seems to be the case for Amar’e. He’s half the player he was when he first came to New York, and its because Mike D’Antoni ran him into the ground at the beginning of the 2010-11 season.

So, getting back to my original point, its not that the Carmelo Anthony-Amar’e Stoudemire marriage will never work. Its that we were unfair to put such high expectations on it when Amar’e is simply not the player he used to be. He isn’t the All-Star he used to be, or offensive force. Its not that ‘Melo is being selfish on the offensive end and not getting Amar’e involved. Its that Amar’e can’t be as involved because he can’t do the things he used to.

Amar’e could still be a useful piece for the Knicks moving forward. However, Mike Woodson may need to take a page out of the Memphis Grizzlies playbook. Maybe the best use for Amar’e is as a sixth man, allowing ‘Melo to roam freely on the court as the dominant force he is, and allow Tyson Chandler to control the paint without an extra body getting in his way. Carmelo, in his head, felt like he needed Amar’e to be involved in the offense early on this season, then realized he doesn’t have the skill set to be that involved, and made a move in a different direction. However, we as fans weren’t as quick to pick up on it, and that may be our fault.

It’s not that the Carmelo-Amar’e marriage didn’t work. It’s that it didn’t have a chance in the first place. And that’s on us.

And, Mike D’Antoni.

He makes no excuses and won consistently down the stretch with a rash of injuries that included point guard Jeremy Lin and forward Amar’e Stoudemire. Woodson had Carmelo Anthony playing the best basketball of his career in April, and everything seemed great in the Big Apple.

But after a pair of bad playoff losses and more and more whispers about Phil Jackson, it could be Woodson who pays a severe price when it’s all said and done.

Apr 30, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson reacts during the first half of game two in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Yet Woodson doesn’t have a track record for postseason success, dropping his career postseason record to 11-20 with the two losses to the Heat. Ultimately, the Knicks’ front office brass is going to want a head coach who can win in the playoffs.

Despite what happens the rest of the series, the full-time job should be Woodson’s to lose. But if the Knicks continue to melt down, he could do exactly that.

After the Game 1 blowout, Woodson told reporters (via ESPNNewYork.com’s Ian O’Connor), ”I’m really secure in what I do on and off the floor,” he said. “Everything is good. … I’ll be all right. If I don’t work, I’ll be fine.”

Woodson should be fine in New York. He has the attention and respect of the players, especially his superstar in Anthony, who campaigned for Woodson to get the full-time gig.

That strategy worked back when Patrick Ewing publicly endorsed then-interim coach Jeff Van Gundy for the job in 1996.

Woodson will be fine. Even if the Knicks don’t retain his services, what he’s done in the last 24 regular season games won’t go unnoticed by NBA teams.

But this is the job he ultimately wants, and quite frankly he deserves.

However, you can’t overlook the facts that as bad as the Knicks have played so far in this series, Woodson has been severely outcoached by Erik Spoelstra.

There’s really no good excuse for being so thoroughly dominated by LeBron James and a defensive game plan that neither Anthony nor Woodson had any answers for in Game 1.

Game 1 was long gone before rookie Iman Shumpert collapsed in the middle of the third quarter. His knee injury, devastating as it was, had no impact on the end result.

Miami’s strategy of fronting Anthony with James or Shane Battier, while sending backside help on lobs over the top, was the chief reason the series opener devolved into such an ungodly Knicks mess.

Woodson never adjusted to the adjustments the Heat made after Melo dropped 42 on them in the Garden in April.

His offense remained stagnant, predictable, one-dimensional and helpless against the spirited and energized Miami defense that Spoelstra (and Pat Riley) designed to stop it. Spoelstra had a plan, and all Woodson had was his worst day of the year.

It’s been a lot to ask out of Woodson. Tyson Chandler was sick. Baron Davis’ back hurts.Shumpert’s youth, athleticism and defensive ability are irreplaceable. Jeremy Lin is in street clothes, and Stoudemire lost a fight with a fire extinguisher.

Yet with all the odds stacked against him, Woodson has to find a way to get the Knicks back in this series.

His job could depend on it.

Despite the regular season success, Woodson could be judged on how he performs in the postseason, and so far the results haven’t been very good.

Apr 28, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) drives to the basket as Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) defends during the first half of game one in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Yahoo Sports first reported the news and it’s well-deserving, given the impact Chandler made on the porous Knicks defense throughout the regular season.

The Knicks went from tied for 27th in the NBA in opponent points per game last season to 11th in their first season with Chandler at center. They trimmed 11 points off the 105.7 they yielded during the 2010-11 season.

Chandler helped the Dallas Mavericks win their first NBA title last season, but the Mavericks made no attempt to re-sign him so they could retain salary flexibility for this summer. He quickly became the top big man on the market and the Knicks, long one of the league’s worst defensive clubs, emerged as a surprising suitor. They even waived point guard Chauncey Billups using the amnesty clause so they could fit Chandler under the salary cap.

He was worth it, particularly after the Knicks became a more defensive-minded team following coach Mike D’Antoni’s resignation in March. The Knicks went on to finish seventh in the Eastern Conference and trail Miami 2-0 in their first-round playoff series.

Chandler averaged 9.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots during the regular season and also had one of his best offensive seasons, averaging 11.3 points and shooting an NBA-high 67.9 percent from the field.

But the numbers don’t tell the whole story of Chandler’s impact on this Knicks team.

He’s the one gut that simply can’t be replaced. His presence alone helped change the culture in the Knicks locker room. They need a leader and as good as Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire are as individual players, the leader of the team very well could be Chandler.

He plays hard and the numbers back up the type of impact he had on this Knicks team. Chandler is a more than deserving winner.

Chandler becomes the first Knicks player to win the award and ends the three-year winning streak of Orlando’s Dwight Howard.

A Knicks team desperate for superstar talent and an explosive power forward who was finally getting the opportunity to be the man, becoming the leader of his own team.

While things started off great in the Big Apple for Stoudemire, the last year hasn’t exactly worked out the way either party likely envisioned things.

From Stoudemire’s rash of injuries to not being able to mesh well with Carmelo Anthony and his latest escapade following Monday’s G

Apr 30, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (1) during the first half of game two in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Miami Heat of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

ame 2 loss to the Miami Heat (when Stoudemire punched a glass casing surrounding a fire extinguisher, causing lacerations on his left hand that required stitches), things clearly aren’t working out at all.

Monday’s selfish act, though out of frustration, was still selfish, and it could end up being the final straw in a marriage that started out so well.

His production is down, averaging only 17.5 PPG, his lowest total since the 2005-06 season, when he first hurt his knee—but what he did Monday was hang his teammates out to dry, and that is inexcusable by any standards.

You could say that punching the glass was the first time Stoudemire crashed the glass this entire series, pulling down a mere six rebounds per game, but as ESPNNewYork.com’s Ian Begleyreported, Stoudemire is “almost certain” to miss Game 3 on Thursday in New York, and there is a possibility that Stoudemire could miss the rest of the series.

No one could feel worse about this than Amar’e, posting on his Twitter account. Via Begley:

“I am so mad at myself right now,” read a post on Stoudemire’s verified account. “I want to apologize to the fans and my team, not proud of my actions. headed home for a new start.”

“We all have done thing out of anger that we regret. That makes us human. Bad timing on my part. Sorry guys. This too shall pass.”

Unfortunately, sorry doesn’t cut it in this case.

With one punch of the glass, Stoudemire let his teammates and Knicks fans everywhere down. It was doubtful the Knicks could win this series anyway, but their slim chances dropped even more with Stoudemire watching in street clothes.

While this is a short-term problem, the long-term issues are the more concerning ones.

He hasn’t meshed well with Anthony, or Tyson Chandler, for that matter. You could take this as a lost year, but have there been any signs that this is going to work out in the long run?

That’s very debatable. Especially when you look at Anthony’s success playing the 4 while Stoudemire was out with a back injury.

The easiest thing to say is to deal him for a few missing parts on this team, but that’s easier said than done, given the fact that his body is breaking down and he’s still owed $60 million over the next three years.

That makes any thought of a trade very unlikely.

Who knows? Maybe Stoudemire comes back healthy next season and the Knicks figure things out and start on their path to contending.

But one thing is for sure—the marriage between the Knicks and Stoudemire just isn’t working right now, and something has to be done to get it going in the right direction.

The Knicks played better, but it still wasn’t enough to stop the Heat from taking a strong 2-0 series lead with a 104-94 victory in Game 2 of the series.

Apr 30, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) is fouled by New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the second half of game two in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

The loss of Iman Shumpert was obvious as the 2006 Finals MVP Dwyane Wade had his way early for the Heat, leading Miami with 25-points. LeBron James might be their best player, but the Heat will only go as far as their leader takes them. Landry Fields is a role player at best and just could not keep up with Wade’s speed and overall talent; especially with him feeding off his home crowd.

New York’s superstar Carmelo Anthony, who wasn’t his normal scoring self in Game 1, played like the star he was the past, scoring 15 in the first quarter. Melo needs to have EVEN BETTER quarters like these for the Knicks to have any chance at all vs. the overpowering Heat. At times in the game he looks like the only Knick who has a sense of offense.

Tyson Chandler, still battling the flu, played like he did all year, with passion and heart. A big controversy coming out of Game 1 was the officiating. This game was better than last, but one play had me cursing and scratching my head. Tyson Chandler slams home a monstrous dunk and immediately taunted the Heat players underneath him. However, Tyson didn’t get up in their face and start screaming; he didn’t even pound his chest These are grown men doing their job and playing the game they love at the highest possible level.

They are not robots, statues, holograms or paper figures. These are PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES. If you can’t show emotion on a playoff dunk vs. the league’s most hated team, then basketball in America has failed.

The Knicks showed they could hang with Miami, keeping the game moderately close the entire time. But like the last game, the seven-point deficit almost felt like a 17- point deficit. The Knicks were always that one big run away and it just never happened. This team just doesn’t have that Clippers run from Sundaynight in them. I would love to see it, but just don’t see it coming from this particular team.

By the way – where is Amar’e Stoudemire?! If I showed my grandmother the game and told her to watch No. 6 and No. 1 and asked her which one is battling the flu I’m pretty sure she would say numero uno.

A year and half ago this was your team STAT can you please start playing like it? I know you had a tough year with injuries and the loss of your brother, but this is playoff time.

The box score is going to say 18 points and 13 rebounds, but I felt like Stoudemire disappeared for most of the game. And those three missed free throws is inexcusable, by him or any professional basketball player.

I’m a plumber and if I cant use a plunger, I simply lose my job. FREE THROWS, man, FREE THROWS!

Oh and I would say punching a fire extinguisher glass case really gives you a slight advantage over the other team. You crashed the glass a little late there STAT. Good job though. I’m sure that’s going to help your free throw shooting.

For the Heat, they again showed why they are the scariest team in the East. They played hard on both sides of the floor and their superstars came to play. When LeBron, Wade, and Chris Bosh are all shooting 50% from the field and are challenging shots, it’s hard to beat them. The three combined for 65 points going 23-for-46 from the field.

Watching the game just irks you as a fan sometimes. Every shot the Knicks take the Heat seem to be all over, whether its hands in their faces or simply forcing a harder shot. Every time the Heat shot it looked like they are were in pregame warm-ups, not a defender to be found.

Game 3 brings this series back to the Mecca of basketball, but will the home team come to play? Is anyone going to show some pride on the defensive end? Can they give New Yorkers the playoff defense equivalent to when Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson and Charles Oakley played? Can anyone but Carmelo get a groove on offense and take the load off him?

The Knicks must show New York they will not lay down to the hated Heat. Show me something, show us all something. Prove them wrong.

Will getting Novak into the offensive flow propel the team forward?

I promise, this isn’t a redundant post connected to my bromance for the one Steve Novak.

No. Instead, after having a few days to digest that brutal Game 1 in Miami, one thing has become very clear to me:

Steve Novak needs to be more involved in the Knicks offense.

In no situation should J.R. Smith be jacking up 17 shots from the field. It’s hard to take his team-leading 17 points seriously when he was 7-17 from the field, and 3-8 from 3-point land. That is beyond ineffective. Even worse, it takes the entire team out of any offensive flow, which the team couldn’t establish in the second half for a variety of reasons.

Novak? He was 2-for-2, both from downtown. Small sample, yes. But, there is a more important theme to that. The key to the Knicks beating the Heat tonight and getting back into this series is being productive from distance, because the Heat’s defensive weakness is guarding the perimeter.

The Knicks are in a very deep hole. They have to find a way to replace Iman Shumpert’s versatility, and they have to get Carmelo Anthony going if they want to be remotely competitive in Miami. Those are clearly the first two needs.

But, again, if the game plan is to kill Miami from deep and take a bunch of 3′s, why is the NBA’s most efficient 3-point shooter only getting two shots?

Novak needs to get more looks, so much so that its at the point where the team should be looking for him on the floor. I’ve ran this number before, so I apologize if you’ve seen it before. In Knicks wins, Novak cashes in over 10 points per game. In losses, it drops off to around 6. Novak needs the ball. He spreads the floor, forces a defender away from the rim, which allows ‘Melo more room to do what he does best.

If Smith is going to put up 15+ shots from the floor tonight and if Novak gets lost in the shuffle once again, this team will not be productive. They will likely fall in Game 2 and go back to New York down two games to none.

We are at that point where we realize Steve Novak is critical to the Knicks’ success. Bromances aside, my first priority as a fan is to see my team win, regardless of who is doing the heavy lifting. Hell, if Mike Bibby needs to score 20 points, I don’t care. I want wins. I want to Beat the Heat.

Right now, the clear and obvious way to give the Knicks the ability to knock off the heat is feeding the Novak fire.

Get the ball…to Novak!

When Coach Mike D’Antoni left the Knicks before the end of the season, Knicks fans everywhere wondered if they could win with Woodson.
Quickly, he proved to be a better coach than D’Antoni, both offensively and defensively. He immediate put a major focus on defense, and as a result Tyson Chandler became the defensive player the Knicks wanted him to be.

Apr 26, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson looks down the bench during the first half against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-US PRESSWIRE

Chandler was never brought in to be a shooting star, but the Knicks own version of Dwight Howard. We wanted blocks and rebounds, and wanted them all the time. With Woodson, we got that. Chandler turned into a beast and was blocking and rebounding like a mad man. So what happened Saturday night?

In the face of pressure, Chandler managed three rebounds and no blocks. He didn’t look like the player he was in the latter half of the season. He looked confused in the paint, and seemed to be nervous about going up against the big players. On offense, he was unable to get the most important offensive rebounds, and that makes it hard to win if you only get one chance at a time. The fact that he had seven turnovers doesn’t help his case either.

Carmelo Anthony was unable to get anything rolling for the entire game. He played like a rookie and made way too many costly mistakes. He was taking shots while in double coverage, and couldn’t pass the ball well.

Melo went from averaging over 30 points for the last games of the season, to playing like he had never touched the ball. He ended up 3-of-15 with a dismal 11 points. In order to win, he has to step up and out-shoot LeBron James.

So, how does this effect Woodson?

Woodson needs to go back to the philosophy of old. He needs to focus on defense, because the Heat are such an offensive powerhouse it is unlikely the Knicks will outscore them.

If he can get the centers to play stand down defense, the Knicks can win the serious battles. He needs to go back to play-calling the way he was. Far too many times in the game, the Knicks looked out of sync, and I never saw many plays called all game.

With Iman Shumpert out with a torn ACL, Woodson must figure out who to start in his place. If I was in his shoes, I would pick Steve Novak. Yes, he plays the same position as Melo, but the man is a machine from beyond the arc.

Novak is shooting 47 percent from the floor, and 48% percent beyond the arc. He’s playing much better than J.R. Smith, and doesn’t take many stupid shots. If Woodson put some faith in him, we would see improvement in the starting five.

Ultimately, Woodson needs to make some improvements if the Knicks wish to upset the Heat in this series. Hopefully the team can rally around their coach, and put this series behind them and move on to the next round.

However while it’s still Knicks vs. Heat, one thing is still missing from this series and from the NBA in general- the rivalry.

Feb 25, 2012; Orlando, FL, USA; Eastern Conference forward Carmelo Anthony (7) of the New York Knicks and LeBron James of the Miami Heat (left) address the media prior to the start of the 2012 NBA All-Star team practice session at the Orange County Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

The team hatred seems like it could get back to somewhere where it was in the 1990′s, but that’s going to take some Knicks victories to really consider this a rivalry from both ends once again.

One thing it is definitely missing is the individual rivalry.

There’s a serious lack of rivalries in today’s NBA.  Never again will we probably ever see anything close to the days of Magic vs. Bird, but something close would be nice.

Dating back to the 2003 NBA Draft when LeBron went No.1 overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers and ‘Melo went No. 3 overall to the Denver Nuggets, many expected this to become the next great individual rivalry in the league.

Things haven’t quite worked out that way.

Usually a great rivalry comes with high stakes and with both guys having a big goose egg in the championship column, that opportunity hasn’t presented itself.

Then there’s the fact that with Melo playing in Denver and James playing in Cleveland, the two superstars met only twice a year from 2003-10. The opportunity to establish such rivalry didn’t present itself with neither playing real meaningful games against one another.

Now let’s fast forward to the year 2012 and the first-round of the NBA Playoffs.

Everyone expects to see this big individual rivalry between the two, but it will never happen.

For one, LeBron has owned Melo since he joined the Knicks, especially during the 2012 season where Anthony and the Knicks have been beaten four times by an average of 17.25 PPG by the Heat on the season. These games mean something on paper but until New York truly gets into a spot where they can be a factor against teams like the Heat for many consecutive years, this isn’t really a rivalry.

Looking at the individual aspect of the rivalry, until Melo And LeBron go through each other in the Eastern Conference Finals a few times, they won’t be playing meaningful games. Neither guy has won a big game through their nine year career, but up the stakes and we may get something big from the two guys.

But the biggest reason why this will never be a rivalry is the state of the NBA today.

In today’s age where superstars can force their way too any team they choose and marketing dollars mean more than anything that happens on the court, the NBA rivalry has been tossed out the window.

LeBron and Melo are great friends on and off the court, which hurts the chances of any real good rivalry emerging. There’s simply no hatred there.

Bird and Magic were friends, but once they threw the ball in the air, the hatred took over. That can be said about any great rivalry in the history of the game.

That will just never be the case in today’s NBA. In days of old, superstars didn’t care if they were liked or not. But it’s way too important for a guy like LeBron to be liked by everyone. He doesn’t have it in him to have a killer instinct against anyone.

Sure, the two are two of the greatest players in the NBA, but legitimate rivals?

I don’t think they are even close.

Apr. 25, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith (8) reacts on the court during the second half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 99-93. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

The New York Knicks have come a long way since Mike D’Antoni was replaced with interim head coach Mike Woodson, posting an 18-6 mark down the stretch, changing the way this team plays the game in the process.

The Knicks all-around depth has turned into a major strength as they’ve received key contributions from almost everyone on the roster down the stretch. That depth will have to continue to play a major role as the Knicks head into the postseason, as one man in particular could play the key role in any chances of the Knicks pulling a first-round upset over the favored Miami Heat.

Shooting guard J.R. Smith wasn’t even on the Knicks’ roster until mid-February, but he could turn into the most important piece of a potentially lengthy playoff run.

Smith has a skill-set that not many players off the Knicks bench have. Sure he can shoot the ball and can make a few plays at the defensive end of the floor, but the one thing that Smith can do is create his own shot. That ability could come into play in a big way against a Heat team that thrives off forcing turnovers and getting out in transition.

Using the shot-clock effectively at times and keeping the ball in Smith’s hands when the starters are on the bench will play a big role in trying to slow Miami down.

Of course if that’s the case Smith has to knock down shots consistently. If he and Steve Novak are hitting a high percentage of their shots from the perimeter, I like the Knicks chances to at least make this series a lengthy one.

Novak, the NBA’s leader in three-point percentage (.472) is just as big for the Knicks chances, but it’s Smith who could possibly make or break the Knicks in this series.

When Smith is shooting the ball well, he is a weapon that can carry a team through lengthy stretches.

But when he’s not, Smith is the type of player that can shoot a team right out of a series.

New York needs Smith hot and simply can’t afford him chucking up bad shots and shooting a low percentage from the floor.

He’s had his good moments on the season, but has also shown glimpse of the Smith off old at time. Despite him fitting in and playing unselfish basketball, which is something that really concerned me when he was signed, his overall numbers could suggest a guy that could ultimately shoot the Knicks out of the series.

Throughout the regular season, Smith averaged 11.6 shot attempts per game, but only shot .407 from the floor. From behind the arc, where Smith can play a big role in this series, he averaged 5.5 attempts per game while shooting only .347.

Quite simply those numbers must be better this series.

Smith’s a player who can provide the secondary scoring the Knicks will need in the postseason, but he needs to make shots more consistently to be a big factor.

It’s not only just about making shots for Smith; it’s about when he makes them.

In tight situations or spots where the Knicks could look to extend a lead, Smith must come through in the clutch.

He’s going to get plenty of opportunities to do so. If Smith makes big shots in big moments, the Knicks will be better off. If he doesn’t, he could end up shooting the Knicks right to an early playoff exit.

Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday reports that the Knicks may be without starting center Chandler for Game 1 of first round against the Miami Heat. Iannazzone says via his Twitter account that Knicks head coach Mike Woodson said that there’s a strong possibility Chandler won’t play Game 1.

If Chandler is forced to sit out Game 1, it could be a death blow to the Knicks. One of the leading candidates for Defensive Player of the Year, Chandler averaged 11.3 points (67.9 field goal percentage) and 9.9 rebounds per game, blocking 1.9 shots per game during the regular season.

The Knicks need Chandler on the floor for his defensive presence as they aren’t nearly the same team without him.

Prior to Thursday night’s win against the Charlotte Bobcats, New York was without Chandler for three games on the season. They didn’t respond well by allowing 119, 118 and 112 points, going only 1-2 in those games.

If Chandler is forced to sit, Amar’e Stoudemire will likely play a lot at the 5 while Carmelo Anthony will shift back to the 4 where he had a ton of success when Stoudemire was out of the lineup. While that may be good at the offensive end of the floor, it likely won’t work well at the defensive end. The Knicks are going to have to give maximum effort defensively to win this series and without Chandler in the lineup, it’s going to be difficult to come away from Game 1 with a series lead.

Iannazzone also tweeted that Woodson forced the team to keep away from Chandler and that he’s wearing a surgical mask because he’s contagious.

Of all things that could happen to the Knicks before the playoffs begin, losing Chandler for a game is probably the least affordable thing possible.

After Thursday night’s NBA action concluded and the regular season officially can to an end, as many expected the New York Knicks will meet the Miami Heat in the opening round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs.

While many knew that was likely on the horizon, no one knew the days and times for the first round games, but the NBA took care of that after all the post season seeds became official.

Per NBA.com, the schedule for the Knicks’ first-round series against the Heat looks as follows:

Game 1 - Sat. April 28, New York at Miami, 3:30 p.m., ABC/R
Game 2 - Mon. April 30, New York at Miami, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 3 - Thu. May 3, Miami at New York, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 4 - Sun. May 6, Miami at New York, 3:30 p.m., ABC/R
Game 5 * Wed. May 9, New York at Miami, TBD
Game 6 * Fri. May 11, Miami at New York, TBD
Game 7 * Sun. May 13, New York at Miami, TBD

The excitement begins Saturday afternoon at American Airlines Arena in Miami and as expected the schedule follows an every other day format except in-between games 3-5 where there’s three days in between contests.

While I typically don’t like having to go that long in between games, given the fact that a guy like Tyson Chandler is banged up and given Amar’e Stoudemire’s back condition, that’s something that could ultimately favor the Knicks, as it can help keep each guy as fresh as possible.

A couple of weeks ago, I mapped out how it would be better for the Knicks, match-up wise, for them to face the Miami Heat in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs. I stick by those comments 110%. With the way the Knicks are playing right now (Melo’s otherworldly tenacity on offense, dependent on the 3-ball), it makes perfect sense to go up against the Heat, who struggle with perimeter defense from time to time.

In order for the Knicks to make sure they match up with Miami, they must win tonight in Charlotte, or hope the 76ers lose in Detroit. I’m not going to go on a rant about this being a trap game, because its not. I mean, its the Charlotte Bobcats. They’re 7-58. They’re in the midst of a 22 game losing streak. A loss tonight will give them the worst single-season winning percentage in league history. 

Oh, and they’re owned by Michael Jordan. Hilarious.

In all likelihood, the Knicks will get a comfortable first half lead against the lowly Bobcats, then rest Tyson, Melo and Amar’e in the second half. I’d expect Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith to be the leaders in the second half, getting them more minutes so that they’re ready for the post-season. And, of course, I anticipate some big 3s from the immortal Steve Novak.

We’ll get into excruciating detail of the Knicks playoff opponents once they officially have one (so, tomorrow, for instance). For now, just know that the Knicks need a win tonight, because if you’re a die-hard like me, you want LeBron. You want the Knicks up 3-2 with Game Six at the Garden.

And you want to make LeBron cry Adam Morrison style. Its all I’m thinking about…

‘Melo went off for 35 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assist. He dominated segments of this game that no other player on the Knicks have ever been able to do for quite some time. Add in the Knicks being one three-point field goal shy of setting a franchise record, and nobody on the planet was going to deny the Knicks of a win.

As a team, the Knicks were 19-32 from beyond the arc, a remarkable 59.4% (!!!!) clip. In the first half, J.R. Smith provided the Knicks with extra punch. He hit nearly everything he launched, propelling the Knicks to a half-time lead of 19. He was on fire.

But, he wasn’t the closer at the end. NBA columnist Bill Simmons loves to talk about each team having an “Irrational Confidence Guy” that comes off the bench, is a deadly sharp-shooter and feels that he can conquer the world by himself.  Probably the best example of an ICG is the Mavericks’ Jason Terry, who can come off the bench, play starters minutes and dominate a game from long stretches.

On paper, J.R. Smith seems to fit the bill. An athletic wing player with the ability to hit from distance and slash to the rim to get an easy two.

Negative, ghost rider. While all that is true about J.R. Smith, he is not the Knicks go-to guy when a clutch shot is needed from beyond the arc. And its not even close.

That, my friends, is Steve Novak’s job.

Everything about Novak’s game screams Irrational Confidence Guy. He didn’t just provide the Knicks with 25 points off the bench last night, but he put the game to bed in the 4th quarter. The Celtics got it within 6, and Novak hit a 3. Then, Rondo answered, getting the Celtics within 7,but Novak was having none of that, hit another 3, and got it back to double digits.

Novak was 8-for-10 from beyond the arc last night. On the year, Novak is an NBA-best 47.2% shooter from beyond the arc. An interesting note: in wins this season, Novak averages 10.6ppg, while in losses, he drops to 6.4ppg.

With the way the Knicks crunch time line-up works now, I’m not sure there is a way you can keep Novak off the court in a close game with under 3 minutes to play. He’s too deadly from 3-pt range to keep him sitting on the bench. By no means is Novak strong on the defensive end. However, his offensive value is so high right now that he needs to be on the court.

An argument can be made that, in the loss to the Heat, what the Knicks were missing most was more looks from Novak. Novak did get 22 minutes of action, but seemed to be lost in the flow of the Knicks offense. Some of the credit has to go to the Heat for making sure a body was always in the area, but it did seem, watching it live, Novak got lost in the shuffle.

Last night, there was no losing Novak on the court. He had the hot hand. And when he gets the hot hand, he takes the pressure and focus off of everyone else. Earlier this year, had I said any of this, people would’ve jumped on my back for just being one of the biggest, most unreasonable Novak fans in the world. Now, however, it is absolutely real. Steve Novak has morphed into the Knicks ICG.

And, he might just be the key to a Knicks run in the playoffs…

Everything started late Saturday afternoon, when my beloved Mets took Game 2 from the Phillies in Philly, and won their first road series against those bums for the first time since 2010 (Yes, shut up, I know its April. But I take my victories when I can. So back off!). This year, the Mets are quickly turning into a really fun team to watch. It’s always awesome entering a season with no expectations and soaking in when the team does well. Such a relief. Anyway…

After that, the puck dropped for Game 2 of the Rangers/Senators series at The Garden. As someone who has grown to love the New York Rangers over the last few years, I can say without hesitation that there is no sports environment more exciting and thrilling than Rangers fans, at home, in the playoffs.

For starters, in my opinion, there is no sport better than professional hockey to watch live. In my life, I have seen about 250 Mets games (seriously), 10 Knicks games, 4 Giants/Jets games, 2 Rangers games and 1 Canadiens/Senators game in Montreal (I was in Montreal, felt like the right thing to do). If you take an average game of the three sports, as in no thrilling finish, just your lock, stock and barrel victory for the home team, no game is more exciting from beginning to end then a hockey game.

That, and the Blueshirts faithful are nuts. They’re emotionally involved in the game from pre-game warm-ups until the final horn. Its incredible.

OK, where am I going with this, I know you’re asking. Even though the Rangers dropped a tightly contested Game 2 to the Senators (still pissed), that momentum from the night before at Madison Square Garden carried over to Knicks/Heat.

And that was huge. I’ve said it before, there is no arena in sports that serves a bigger home-court advantage than a lively Madison Square Garden. Did the Knicks eventually fall to the Heat? Yes. But, that wasn’t because the Heat really outplayed the Knicks. In fact, it was pretty amazing the game was so close considering Carmelo Anthony (42) and J.R. Smith (16) were the only players in double figures.

After a strong first quarter, the Heat looked rattled throughout the rest of the game. I’ll admit, I was unable to watch the final minutes. I had to walk away to do some things before heading to work while the score was 75-73 Knicks. But, from what I saw, with that crowd, if the Knicks were able to take just one game in Miami should these teams meet in the playoffs, I think they could take the series.

It comes off as cliche and tacky, but in New York, us, we, the fans, we make such a huge difference. We bring The Garden to life, giving it a heart beat and cranking up the atmosphere to unbelievable levels. Madison Square Garden becomes the X-Factor, particularly against the Heat, considering of all the concerns surrounding them when the pressure is on.

Sure, the Knicks lost. But, if fans aren’t considerably more upbeat with the outlook of facing the Heat in the playoffs after Sunday’s game, they need to reconsider.

The Garden could haunt the Heat in a Game Six environment.

Should Knicks fans be nervous about tonight's Wizards game?

After a much needed day off for the New York Knicks, the team returns to Madison Square Garden to battle with the Washington Wizards with only eight games left in the regular season.

While many fans were on edge with the sloppy but huge win for the team in Milwaukee, this particular match-up should be of concern for Knicks fans. Why?

Because everything about tonight’s match-up screams trap game.  (more…)

Just how important is tonight's game against the Bucks?

After a deflating 98-86 loss in Chicago last night against the Bulls, the Knicks travel to Milwaukee to play the Bucks in a face-off of the two teams fighting for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Entering tonight, the Knicks (29-28) have a slim one game lead over the Bucks (28-29) with each team having only nine games remaining on their regular season schedules. It is also worth noting that the Philadelphia 76ers (30-27) are one clear of the Knicks and two clear of the Bucks.

So, does this mean that tonight’s match-up in Milwaukee is a must-win for the Knicks? Tyson Chandler thinks so. But, is it really? (more…)

Do the Heat make the most sense for the Knicks in the playoffs?

Throughout this roller-coaster of a regular season, the New York Knicks have gone through multiple identities. There was the “Trade ‘Melo” movement, Lin-sanity, the Woodson Era, and I’m sure I’m missing three or four other periods of play.

All we know is, with 10 games remaining, the team is tied for seventh in the Eastern Conference and are two games clear in the loss column ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks, who the Knicks face tomorrow after a rematch with the Chicago Bulls tonight.

With all things considered, the Knicks best-case scenario for the playoffs is outplaying the Philadelphia 76ers over the next 10 games and capturing the 7th seed in the East. Either way, the Knicks will be facing one of the two juggernauts in the first round: the Bulls or the Miami Heat.

I’m here to tell you that, in a perfect world, the Knicks want to face the Heat in the first round.

Wait…what!?!?

I know what you’re thinking, and I ask you to hear me out. The knee-jerk reaction to my statement isn’t unjustified considering the the two times the Knicks and Heat have played this year, it hasn’t been close. The Heat have beat the Knicks by a total of 24 points in two games, while the Knicks have always played the Bulls tight, winning one of three, but never losing by more five points.

Yet, I still like the Heat as a match-up and there are three reasons why.

The first, the Heat have not faced this specific, Mike Woodson-led Knicks. The last time these two teams met was at the height of the Lin-sanity, and the Heat locked down Jeremy Lin and dominated the action from start to finish. However, this version of the Knicks plays with an emphasis on the defensive end and have begun playing a more complete basketball game. Woodson has handed the keys to the Knicks offense to Carmelo Anthony, who has finally taken the leap to the “this is my house, this is my team” attitude fans have been waiting for since he came over from Denver. ’Melo would be licking his chops if he got a chance to match-up with LeBron James, in New York, in the playoffs, with a chance to re-establish himself as a superstar.

Also, guard Iman Shumpert has taken the next step in his development under the guidance of Mike Woodson. Sunday’s game was his coming-out party to the nation: 15 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assist, 4 steals. His defense would be the X-factor in any playoff series, but especially against the Heat and having the ability to man-up against Dwayne Wade. And there’s always Tyson Chandler, who last year proved to be the inside kryptonite to LeBron James for the Dallas Mavericks. That has to be in James’ head moving forward.

The second reason why the Knicks want to play the Heat: this team will struggle against elite point guards. What gets lost in the excitement of the Knicks win over the Bulls on Sunday was the 21-point lead the team blew against a resurgent Derrick Rose. As much as I love the defense Shumpert provides, he is yet to prove that he can match the quickness of an elite point guard, someone at the level of Rose, Chris Paul, Deron Williams or even Brandon Jennings.

With the Heat, if Mario Chalmers or Norris Cole is going to beat the Knicks, then they have more problems than originally thought. Neither of the two point guards for the Heat, regardless of how well they’ve played in spurts this season, play at a level superior to any of the potential points for the Knicks. If anything, a healthy (if that’s even possible) Baron Davis would have a slight advantage over the Heat. This team needs to avoid the dynamic point guards that populate rosters in the East, and the Heat are one team that doesn’t present a strong option at the lead guard.

The final reason why Knicks fans should want the Heat in Round 1: this is New York, baby! LeBron James needs to prove to the world that he won’t fold under the immense pressure of the playoffs. All eyes would be on James come late-April, early-May, fair or unfair.

There is no basketball environment quite like Madison Square Garden when the Knicks are playing at an elite level. We all saw what that place is like in a playoff-like atmosphere on Sunday. Carmelo embraced it, Shumpert embraced it, and it seemed to crack Derrick Rose ever so slightly.

Historically speaking, LeBron has owned the Garden. However, the last few times he has come to the Garden, he has been the show. The crowd wanted to see what LeBron could do against the Knicks, not what the Knicks can do to stop him. Now, everything has changed. This fan base is out for blood. Nobody has forgiven LeBron for choosing the Heat over the Knicks in the Summer of 2010. With Carmelo firmly entrenched as the Alpha Dog, there is a growing level of hatred for the Heat this city hasn’t seen since Jeff Van Gundy was glued to the ankles of Alonzo Mourning. We want to be the fans that officially break LeBron. We want to haunt his career. We want him running off our court with his tail between his legs. I don’t know one Knicks fan that doesn’t want to be, in some small way, personally responsible for another Heat collapse.

Look, I understand that priority #1 is just getting to the playoffs. The Knicks last 10 games are incredibly difficult with match-ups with the Bulls, Bucks, Heat, Celtics, Hawks and Clippers ahead of them.

But, there is a new feeling for Knicks fans. We saw something Sunday that makes us all want to believe. Carmelo Anthony is here, officially. Tyson Chandler and Iman Shumpert are stepping up at the right time. And Steve Novak makes everybody want to believe whenever he heaves up a three.

This team is as exciting as it has ever been all year. Now, bring on the Heat.

Jan 25, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Anderson Varejao (17) battles New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (center) and small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) for the ball in the fourth quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-US PRESSWIRE

It feels like I have written these words about a thousand times this year, but the Knicks lost last night and man was it ugly.

The Knicks turned the ball over a whopping 22 times, 6 of which were in the deflating fourth quarter that ultimately ended the Knicks’ hopes of coming away with a victory in Cleveland.

Turnovers weren’t the only misadventure for the Knicks’ offense on this night; the Knicks shot a wretched 42% from the floor and an unbelievably putrid 15% from beyond the arc.  Needless to say, the decision making for the Knicks—something that has been an issue all season long—was an issue once again against a very beatable team in the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The effort was there for Amar’e Stoudemire, who had  14 rebounds—including 6 of the offensive variety—and 19 points, however his inefficient shooting—just 9 of 19—was an issue, and symptomatic of the Knicks lack of execution on that side of the ball.

The Knicks other embattled star finished with 15 points on a sub par 5 of 14 shooting. Despite the poor shooting night Carmelo Anthony actually looked a bit better on the offensive end of the floor. Anthony was aggressive and took the ball to the basket more than he has in the last few games; he was also more willing to move the ball, as evidenced by his 6 assists.  Much of Anthony’s poor shooting over the last two games can be attributed to an apparent wrist injury that has been bothering Melo since he injured it against the Bobcats on Tuesday night.

Apart from their offensive inefficiency, the lack support the Knicks got from their bench proved to be a huge factor in the loss. The Knicks played four guys off of the bench and got a combined 16 points on 6 of 21 shooting. Their lack of depth is no secret, but if they are going to compete on a nightly basis they need to  at least get something out of their bench and last night they got nothing. (more…)

Who is to blame for the Knicks' early season struggles (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

In the end the Knicks lost by only 12 points, but that was due in large part to a fourth quarter in which the Knicks dominated play without the OKC starters in the game. The score after three quarters was 92-65; and that was the story of the game.

The Knicks once again displayed abysmal defense, and an offense void of any meaningful leadership, or point guard play.  The addition of Tyson Chandler is not paying dividends the way people around the team seemed to think it would.

Chandler is a great defensive player—but he can’t do it all by himself.

The absence of Carmelo Anthony was obviously a blow to the Knicks offensive game plan; a reason why players like Iman Shumpert felt the need to chuck up extra shots in order to try and get something going.

Offense notwithstanding, the Knicks defense is poor beyond words at this point, and it doesn’t appear that salvation is any closer unless Grunwald—or whoever is actually running the team—can make some moves and change the defensive attitude of this squad.

As the losses begin to pileup, the Knicks play this season is raising serious questions about the Knicks’ long-term stability.  We are technically just over 1/6^th of the way through the abbreviated NBA schedule and the Knicks are currently sitting 7th in the Easter conference standings; a spot that is far below where they were expected to be at this point in the season. (more…)

Anthony and Stoudemire will both need to have big games tonight against Memphis(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Last night your New York Knicks put out a great effort and got a huge win against the streaking Philadelphia 76ers.

The Knicks got out to an early lead and despite a late game push by the Sixers, they held on for the victory.

We outlined the importance of the Knicks star players in our game preview yesterday, and the Knicks rode those stars all the way to victory. Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony combined for 47 points and 19 rebounds, with Tyson Chandler also pitching in 13 rebounds a block.

The 76ers were playing on the third night of a back-to-back-to-back and looked sluggish early on. However, by the time they seemed to get things going, it was too late and the Knicks thwarted their late game rally. (more…)

Who will D'Antoni start in place of the injured Stoudemire?

Just when you thought things couldn’t quite get any worse, they do. Amar’e Stoudemire will sit out tonight’s contest against the Sacramento Kings after suffering a sprained ankle on Thursday night against the Lakers.

This is rather unfortunate news for the  Knicks who could certainly use a win against the Kings to get back on track, after suffering a pair of unfortunate losses against Golden State and the Lakers. (more…)

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In a game that apparently set a new cable record for Christmas day viewers, your New York Knicks pulled out a gutsy 106-104 victory over the Paul Peircelss Boston Celtics.

This Christmas Day matchup was widely held as a marquee matchup between two of the heavyweights in the Eastern Conference, and it certainly lived up to the hype with play coming down to the wire and needing the final seconds to decide this one.

The Knicks lead big early, taking a 62-52 lead into halftime. This lead, however, did not last as the Celtics made a run sparked by their All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo, who finished with a game high 13 assists and a team high 31 points. (more…)